Beyond
by RandomButLoved
Summary: "We can restore Hyrule to its former glory. Perhaps... even beyond." A Princess of a destroyed Kingdom, a Knight without a full recollection of his previous life, four new Champions to protect the land. A new adventure to return Hyrule to its former grandeur begins. A series of oneshots based on the aftermath of Breath of the Wild.
1. New Beginnings

_**Author's Note:**_ So I just finished Breath of the Wid yesterday, a game we've been speculating about for years and is finally over; the story at least. I just had to write something about it, however these will be a series of oneshots instead of a full blown novella, so I hope that you stick around! :3 Also Bound History is coming soon, I just need to get Breath of the Wild off of my mind (nevee gonna happen aha!)

And just to make clear, _this does include story spoilers throughout_ so if you don't want to be spoilt (which I highly recommend; it makes the game more emotional), then don't read this just yet!

 ** _Beyond_**

 _One: New Beginnings_

~O~

For a moment, she didn't want to turn around. Her body was basked in the sunlight, the world was finally calm, but she couldn't let herself turn around for fear that it would all fall to calamity once more. For the first time in 100 years, she could actually feel the world at her feet and the wind in her hair—she wasn't a spirit fighting Calamity Ganon anymore, but a free woman to return to her Kingdom again.

But despite all of that, she still couldn't muster the energy to turn around, lest the horrors of Calamity Ganon still be there.

"I've been keeping watch over you all this time..." she murmured with a pounding heart. The clouds were beginning to clear above her, ruby and charcoal covered skies blown away by the power still radiating from her hand. Although a scarlet hue still clung to the grass around them, the air felt so much clearer than the last time she had set foot in Hyrule. "I've witnessed your struggles to return to us as well as your trials in battle."

His footsteps were crunching across the field, making their way towards her the longer she spoke.

She prayed that once she finally met his eyes, she would not see the blood staining his clothes that she witnessed 100 years ago. "I always thought—no I always _believed_ —that you would find a way to defeat Ganon." A smile tugged at her lips. It was the simple feeling of his presence that sent her heart soaring. "I never lost faith in you over these many years…"

With a hitched breath, she finally forced herself to face him.

There was still blood; that she couldn't deny; but compared to the last time that they had physically been around one another, this seemed like only a scratch. She had seem him get knocked around a few times by the beast form of the Calamity, but just like before he still got up again. Towards the end he even let his horse flee before it was killed so that he didn't lose them too. He was still smiling now—it was meek and simple, yet it spoke louder than any roar of the Calamity that he had just faced. He didn't have all of his memories back, of course, but he still could recall enough about her to be thankful for her being alive.

As she said; courage could not be forgotten, especially his.

"Thank you, Link… the Hero of Hyrule," she breathed, her hands clasped over her chest. Her joy was soon beginning to overwhelm the crippling fear from within. After so long of fighting, it was all over. * _And yet_ , a voice inside of her whispered. _There's something that you must know._ She took a deep breath, a small bout of courage flowing through her as she dared to ask, "May I ask… do you really remember me?"

He silently made his way towards her and knelt down, plunging the Master Sword into the earth and taking her hand into his. "I do, Your Grace," were his first words to her after so long. "I'm sorry for ever forgetting."

Since she was no longer the Princess of Hyrule in her eyes—she couldn't govern her lost people from a pile of rubble, after all—she was glad that nobody was around to scold her as she fell onto her knees to reach his level, wrapping her hands around his. He was soaked from the storm that had not long since passed, and her second order of business was to find somewhere warm for the both of them. However her first order of business was to say, "Just Zelda will do."

His smile grew. "As you wish… Zelda. Now," he added after a short moment, lifting her onto her feet and whistling out for his horse—who was thankfully not far away from the battlefield. The inky stallion raced towards the Princess and her appointed Knight, kneeling down in order to allow the former onto him. She protested as much as she could, causing her Knight to chuckle. "You're just the same as before," he murmured, not noticing that she had heard him. He turned to meet her eyes evenly. "I'm simply doing my job as your Knight and as your friend. The least I can do is get you into a warm and safe place after your fight."

She frowned at the way he called it "her fight," but refrained from asking as he mounted his horse from behind and began to steer them away from the field once infested with Guardians and the Malice, a place that was now covered in large hoof prints and clear skies. Zelda could finally feel at peace as she rested against the form behind her. Her eyes fluttered a little before a thought came to her. "Couldn't you use the Slate to bring us to a nearby village?"

He tensed suddenly, "I… I wanted to let you see the Kingdom that you saved, but if you'd prefer to—"

"It's quite alright, Link," she cut in with a chuckle. "I'd much prefer this."

Even though she was exhausted, she made sure that she stayed awake for the entire journey—after all, it was the least she could do for her Knight.

* * *

He brought her to the Riverside Stables where he bought them a place to stay for the night. It was a quaint place, far from the lavish lifestyle within the Castle, but it would do after her hellish century alone fighting Calamity Ganon. Link made sure that they both ate and settled down in the best beds he could pay for.

For the first time in 100 years, the two finally slept without worry.

The sun rose, signalling the first morning of peace in the Kingdom of Hyrule. Zelda rose with the sun, plaiting her hair back and asking for anywhere private to bathe. Unfortunately there wasn't, meaning that she had to take a trip to the riverside instead. The last time she was in such cold water, she was trying to awaken the sealing power from inside of her. She shuddered at the memories as she made her way down toward the riverside.

She stopped, however, when her eyes fell onto two figures a few feet away.

Her Knight was tending to a brilliant white stallion, the water of the river gushing up to their knees. He was feeding it with ease as he brushed it down, its bridle and saddle neatly folded up on a blanket on the riverbank. It was the exact same equipment that she had once used with her own stallion 100 years ago, but it was nearly impossible for a wild horse to hold such a beauty and for her Knight to have the exact same bridle and saddle that she once had, right?

"Link," she remarked, catching his attention instantly. He patted the stallion's neck and waded out of the water to dry himself down. "Where did you find this horse and equipment? It seems…"

"Just like your own?" Link finished once she trailed off. The Princess nodded silently. "I found him not far out from the Manhala Bridge in the west. According to one of the stable hands nearby, he is the grandson of your horse and he was given the same bridle and saddle you had 100 years ago. You were still asleep, so I thought I'd give you something familiar after all this time for when you woke up."

Zelda stripped her sandals from her feet and made her way over to the stallion. He was skeptical of her presence at first, but with reassurance from his original owner when he passed her an apple, the stallion eyed her hesitant hand and allowed himself to eat the fruit whole. Zelda laughed as she shuffled closer to the horse and was permitted to pet the stallion's neck. "Take the time to soothe your mount…"

"That's the only way it will know how you truly feel," came his voice from behind her.

Zelda gasped and cast her gaze to him. "You remember that?" He nodded, however she could see that a nerve had been accidentally struck through the lack of memories that he truly had. She decided to change the subject, "What did you name him?"

Link smiled hesitantly. "I named him Rhoam—after your father—b-but he's your horse now, Zelda. You can name him whatever you like. If his name is inappropriate, then you are free to alter it..."

She couldn't help but smile. "You have far from offended me, Link." She glanced back to the stallion. "I won't take away his name… yet I think that I should honour the horse which stood by me before. I am sure that Rhoam Lien sounds fine, correct?"

"What does Lien mean?"

She swallowed thickly, suddenly bashful of her choice of name, "It is… it is the name of the Hero in the ancient language of the Sheikah. I was always rather fascinated by the past, you see, and I thought that I would honour the one who helped this Kingdom time and time again." Zelda refused to meet his eyes as she quickly added, "I hope that it does not affect anything between us, however. I was but a child and—"

The Princess was cut off by a hand on her shoulder. Link, uncaring that his legs were soaked again, quickly removed his hand, "It's rather an honour, Zelda. I promise." He brushed a lock of hair out of her eyes before his eyes widened—both at his behaviour and sudden remembrance. Zelda watched in sheer perplexion as her Knight rushed out of the water and return with a wrapped package that she didn't notice lay beside the blanket. Link silently knelt down in the water and held up the package for her. Zelda skeptically took the package into her hands and pushed the material away to reveal the Bow of Light that she had bestowed upon him during the final battle. "I thought that I should return it to you and clarify that you are my charge but also my friend. I will do anything for you, Zelda, and I will stay at your side for as long as I am able to."

She propped the Bow of Light against the crook of her arm and helped Link to his feet with the other, "I know that, Link, and I'm extremely proud to have such a wonderful companion at my side."

He grinned in reply. "And I you, Zelda. And now that I have returned it to you," he added, holding up the Sheikah Slate. "Where does the Princess of Hyrule like to go to first on her first day back in her Kingdom?"

"After all this time trapped within the confines of Hyrule Castle, I have always dreamed about this moment. And yet, now that I am here... I am unsure," she explained. "Is... is Impa still alive?"

Link smirked. "And kicking. She has been waiting for you for a long time, Zelda. I'm sure she would be overjoyed to see you all again."

"Then let us go there, then," was all she said. He nodded and lead Rhoam Lien out of the river, drying off before buying some last minute resources for the journey. Now that the Guardians were no longer a threat, they could travel to Kakariko Village with ease—and Link was sure that the Princess would want to feel the breath of the wild air in her lungs again after so long.

They set off on another journey, just like old times.

As they veered away from the river, Zelda couldn't help but notice her Knight pressing a hand to his chest for some reason. When she voiced her concern, he merely waved it off as, "Just an old bandage—nothing more." She couldn't read him as easily as he could read her (an ability he hadn't seemed to have lost over the past century), but she knew that he was lying. When she shot him a tight look, he finally confessed, "I was hit during the last fight, and a kick from his beast form made it worse... I will be fine," he quickly added when he saw her eyes widen.

There were times during the final battle between her Knight and the Calamity where she lost her touch with reality, meaning that she missed parts of the great clash. He must have been injured during one of those blackouts, and she hated herself for not noticing.

"We should stop..."

"No, no, it's alright. I made elixers this morning just for it. It's simply a tad uncomfortable, that's all." Despite this, she couldn't believe him. What if something happened that she couldn't stop? He forced a sad smile. "Come on, Zelda, you can't be sad on your first day of freedom. I've managed up until now; a wound like this won't do me in."

She sighed. "You're right... but if you feel any pain then you will tell me, won't you, Link? I may not have any healing powers, but I can do everything I can to help you."

"That's the Zelda I half know," he remarked with a chuckle, the action infecting her too. It was heart breaking that he didn't have all of his memories, however externally it didn't faze him. It left a hole in him that may not have the ability to be healed, but she would try and fill that gap to the best of her ability.

There was so much to do, so many memories to reopen and reheal, so many lives to mourn and cherish.

But that would come in time.

It would all come in time...

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ And there's the first oneshot! I really hope that you liked it! I actually enjoyed doing it and want to do some more, so if you guys have any ideas feel free to let me know! I want to do one about each of the new Champions (I guess they'll be called that), especially Riju, and more about Link's lost memories. Oh I'm excited now!

Let me know what you thought of this and Breath of the Wild in general! ;3

~RandomButLoved~


	2. Riju

_**Author's Note:**_ Oh geez, I didn't expect such a massive response to this story before! I've had over 700 views in only 3 days! I am not trying to brag, I'm just super happy and glad that you all like it and want to go back so you can read it again. Oh you've all made my day! You are all really sweet and I never expected such a positive response. Either way I've really wanted to do this one so hopefully it lives up to expectation aha! And I thought that I'd dedicate this one to mine and MiniJen's favourite new Champion, Riju; she was my first Champion and my favourite as well as Urbosa (and the flashback tied to her; I laughed so much)!

 _ **Guest Reviews:**_ **Guest:** Thank you so much! I plan to write a lot more now! You are so kind!

Enjoy the chapter! :3

 _ **Beyond**_

 _Two: Riju_

~O~

She had never seen the sky quite this beautiful at sunset before.

Din had painted the sky with a stunning array of vermilion and golden pigments, bathing the entire Gerudo Desert in its warm glow—the thousands of miles of sand shimmering in its light. Throughout her entire life here, Makeela Riju, the Chief of the Gerudo, had always admired how the Red Goddess had cultivated this part of Hyrule in particular; it stripped a person of all facades that one puts up to reveal their true self. Riju found a beauty in that which made her a good leader of her people—there would be no facades from their Chief, nor any lies from her people.

Riju studied the sky and her town from the highest room in the Gerudo Fortress, the breeze sweeping her garments off of the ground and around her legs. She had changed from her usual attire to a simple silk robe that her mother had made just for her. The last few vais from varying races were finishing purchasing their wares for the evening and returning to their homes or inns, nothing but the wind and the echoes of footsteps reaching Riju's ears.

After Divine Beast Vah Naboris had been calmed, so too had the town. Before the reawakened Champion had arrived, businesses were losing money, trained professionals had trouble going out and hunting for food, and Riju was kept away from the public eye—not only for her safety but so her people wouldn't see how utterly exhausted she was from attempting to calm Naboris on her own. A wave of loathing flooded into her system as memories of passing out in the middle of a sandstorm with hopes of using her Thunder Helm to calm Naboris failed; her prized sand seal, Patricia, returning her to the Fortress.

In that moment, only a miracle could save them.

And a miracle came.

Her guards were making the last rounds for the evening around the town before swapping with the next squadron, the rock salt lamps lining the main promenade casting their long shadows across the buildings. The Chief closed her eyes as another breeze made its way through the desert, the sounds of the potted snake plants swaying in the wind as a sandstorm grumbled in the distance neutralizing her momentary loathing. The sun was warm on her skin, the light slowly fading over the highlands in the distance, water gushing through the town; it all seemed to be perfect.

Her reverie was soon abruptly stopped by a voice behind her.

"Please, Zelda… I meant no offence."

She scoffed. "Well you certainly have, Link. I'm positive that it wasn't your intention, but nonetheless you acted without thought!"

Riju turned in confusion, her eyes fluttering open at the sound of sudden voices below her. Perplexed, the Chief carefully made her way down the sandstone steps, nodding to the guard around the corner as she entered the main room of the Fortress. It was lavish to say the least, every pillar adorned with tapestries and hanging jewels. Statues of famous Gerudo warriors from across the ages stood tall as a reminder of their rich and strong heritage.

The Gerudo Chief crept down the staircase towards the sounds of the voices, her flat shoes sinking into the plush red rugs over the cool stone. Buliara had moved from her place beside the throne and was now discussing something with other soldiers, something that confused Riju a little; it was unlike Buliara to move away from her spot, especially just to talk. She shrugged it off nonetheless and continued towards her throne, her Thunder Helm glowing in the night as well as tapestries on the ceiling swaying in the wind above her.

Riju halted before her throne and peeked around, looking out onto the small plateau overlooking the rest of the Wasteland, a small cubical fountain slightly concealing two figures. "The Yiga have been preparing to attack us ever since I returned to Hyrule, and something must be done to protect you..." Link explained, only to irritate his charge even more.

The Princess sighed loudly, "And what about you? Does my protection warrant you to conduct a field survey on their Hideout in the Wasteland without anyone to protect _you_? The Yiga are against anyone who opposed Ganon, so why in the name of Hylia would you go alone when you are so high up on their list?!"

"Because I've been exploring this land on my own for too long now, Zelda. Having others will just slow me down." He paused. "I wouldn't have gone in there again, Zelda. I just wanted to protect you…"

But she wasn't having any of it. "You certainly didn't act like that when Calamity Ganon first awoke! Urbosa and the other Champions wanted me to go to safety, but you let me come with you. We went to Calamity Ganon _together_. But as soon as I see you again, it's all changed… Why?"

Her Knight was confused for a moment, knowing the memory of Calamity Ganon's awakening and running through the rain, but not the moment in between where he let her come with him—he simply assumed that Zelda had been stubborn. Yet after a moment he finally relented, "It's my job to take care of threats to you… I can't put you in more danger… not again."

"I was in danger for the past 100 years but I took care of myself. What about you? Who will take care of you when you're in danger? We can't use the Shrine of Resurrection twice for Hylia's sake!"

The sentiment struck him hard—Riju could see that on his face—however he was as calm as he could be as he whispered, "I know…"

"So why did you go then? Am I a little porcelain doll that can't be broken in your eyes?" she snapped. "Am I really that weak? I took on Calamity Ganon for 100 years; I am _not_ weak!"

"What?" he breathed, his shock and anger beginning to boil. "No, you aren't weak! I just—"

"You just what? You are far from immortal or better than anyone else! What could have possibly driven you to do something so… so stupid?!"

As Zelda was speaking, Riju could see that the argument was about to reach its truth. As the desert always did, it was about to strip them bare and reveal why they were both angry at each other in the first place. Although the Chief of the Gerudo didn't know the Knight or the Princess very well, but she could easily tell that they were arguing out of sheer fear for one another rather than anger of being left behind and of running off into danger without thought.

"Because I failed you!" he finally cried. "You saved my life 100 years ago, but that day I couldn't do my job. And ever since I awoke I was too weak to take on Calamity Ganon straight away and save you… I just… I have a duty to you, Zelda. You are certainly not weak, but I still need to—"

"You don't need to do anything, Link! You can do what you like, but to go off and take on an army on your own is—"

"All I've ever known!" he cut in sharply, running a hand through his hair. "How can I do anything other than protect you when I don't even remember a time before my duty? Before all I knew was that I was going to die protecting you?!" Finally realising how out of hand this was, he knew what he had to do. "I… I'm sorry, Zelda. I was..." he muttered before storming away, breaking off before he could make a further fool of himself.

Riju watched with wide eyes as the appointed Knight left the Fortress behind, deciding to break free from her hiding spot when the Princess made to go after him. "I wouldn't if I were you..."

Zelda jumped and spun around, sagging against the nearest pillar when her eyes fell on Riju's. "Oh Chief Riju, I didn't know that you were there," the Princess breathed, quickly adjusting her posture. "I apologise for the noise. I didn't think that many could hear that…"

The Gerudo rolled her eyes. "The entire town heard it, Zelda. It wasn't that hard." The Princess's face grew hot, only causing Riju to laugh even more. When the noise finally dropped, Riju smiled softly as she guided Zelda back onto the small plateau behind the throne. "So where did all of that come from? You two are joined at the hip, I'd say."

The air was growing colder as Zelda took a moment to calm herself before clarifying, "We were attacked by Yiga on the way to your settlement. We had only stopped so Link could show me one of the nearby ruins that I had asked to see and were going to use the Sheikah Slate for the rest of the journey, but by the time we had arrived and he figured that I would be safe, he left all by himself to survey the Yiga Hideout in the Wasteland. He wasn't going to attack, but I know that he plans to leave at dawn to disband them personally and I... well I confronted him."

"But isn't that a good thing?" the Chief wondered carefully. "Surely it isn't a bad thing that he wants to stop them. I sure as hell would want to if they attacked my people."

There was a beat of silence before the Hylian spoke again. "Of course not. He is forever duty-bound to protect me from the threats of Hyrule before and after the defeat of Calamity Ganon. However I…" She turned her gazes out into the shifting desert; and even from this distance as the moon's light began illuminate the sands, it was clear to see the dangers of surviving a cold night alone in the Wastelands as her Knight most likely did. The wind blew her hair up and onto her shoulder as she said, "Although Calamity Ganon has been vanquished, this world is still dangerous and cruel. I am not angry at him for going out and doing his job, but 100 years ago those sort of journeys were daily and neither of us would object."

Riju tilted her head. "Even if he only remembers a small fraction of those journeys?"

"I should have been more sensitive to his… psychological state, Riju, you need not remind me of that."

"Oh I know that, Zelda," came the reply as the Chief took a seat on the edge of the platform, silently urging the Princess to sit beside her. "I'm not reminding you of that, nor am I taking his side. What he did today wasn't brave, it was downright stupid. He should have at least taken someone else to be there in case any dangers of the desert or the Yiga attacked him, or just for a second opinion of the situation."

Zelda glanced over. "I am sure that there is about to be a _'but'_ in your next sentence."

The Gerudo laughed. "You're rather perceptive, I'll give you that." The young woman transferred her gaze toward the view. "But for a man who only has a handful of memories and was raised knowing that he would join the Royal Guard at some point—he told me that," she added once she noticed the Hylian's surprised complexion. "I can't really blame him for going alone when all he knows is that you must be protected at all costs and he died to do that; I'd probably do the same."

"And I don't doubt that. I don't blame him for acting on pure biology," the Princess replied. "I suppose I… I wish that things were as they were before. Before we were in any form of danger and my biggest frustration was my father or my teachers; a time where I would have him there to be my friend instead of my guard. I'm not angry, Riju, but I…" Her eyes glazed over slightly. "I'm constantly terrified for his safety."

It all finally clicked for the Gerudo.

"I heard what happened 100 years ago," she remarked quietly, one of the few times that she lacked strength in her tone.

Zelda forced any tears or form of weakness from showing. Without looking at the younger girl, she murmured, "Riju, he died in my arms. It isn't something that one can forget no matter how far you have lived through the passage of time…"

"And with 100 years fighting Calamity Ganon and watching his journey from afar, you refuse to put him in danger at your expense again?" Zelda numbly nodded. "Even if it's his job to protect the legend?"

"I am _not_ a legend," she spat. "All of the Champions, everyone in the Castle, and even my dear father died that day… all because they saw me as a legend who needed to be protected. But no one protected them when I came down to it."

Riju placed her hand over Zelda's. "You protected Link and awoke your power that day, or so he told me."

"And what good did that do?" she scoffed, a tear finally slipping down her cheek—she angrily wiped it away. "He died anyway."

"But your fear and protectiveness of him awoke the power that has protected Hyrule for 100 years and gave Link the chance to finally defeat him. He wouldn't have done any of this without you. Don't tarnish your own worth because of insecurities, Zelda," the Chief said firmly. "You had a part to play in this as well as everyone who died that day and throughout the Calamity Era, but what you must understand is that although you are a ruler, you can't protect everyone. You can't blame yourselves for those deaths, nor can you completely blame Link for leaving today—you just have to work for the future now where you won't feel like this every time he or anyone else you care for have a job to do."

There was a beat of silence.

Then Zelda turned to Riju and whispered a genuine, "Thank you…"

Instead of resorting to sarcasm like any Gerudo would, she replied with a simple, "You're welcome." She paused, hoping to bring up the mood. "But I think I know now why my ancestors didn't allow voe into the capital now… they're so stupid no matter what title they carry."

The Hylian couldn't help but giggle. "I think that your ancestors were right."

Suddenly, a thought entered the Gerudo's mind as she noticed a glimmer in the far distance. Maybe it was Urbosa telling her to make things right even more and fulfill a wish on the Hero's part. She caught Zelda's attention as she rose to her feet, the former glancing down to the Princess with a smile, "Zelda, I believe I have something that you need to see."

Zelda was rather confused as she was lifted to her feet and lead away from the plateau. Baliara raised a brow in confusion towards the Gerudo Chief as they passed her, however she refrained from asking any questions. Whatever it was, there was a reason behind it. Riju lead the Hylian Princess up the stairway on the opposite side of the chamber and up to where she was mere minutes ago, guiding her into Riju's bedchambers.

For a moment, the Chief questioned what she was about to do.

It may not work, however it was worth the chance.

She released the Hylian's hand at the top of the stairs and veered off to the right, offering up her four-poster bed in the middle of the room, a plushie of Patricia smiling on top of the covers. The sight reminded Zelda of how young Riju really was, but also how strong she had become physically and as a ruler. When she voiced this, the Gerudo merely laughed in response. "Oh trust me, Zelda, for a while my people are probably thinking about how powerless their Chief had turned out to be—I couldn't fight Naboris alone, the Thunder Helm was stolen, and I'm clearly never going to be on the same level as the Champion. I am far from strong…"

"That's not true!" Zelda immediately protested. "We are our own harshest critics, but I am sure that your people wouldn't think like that. Of course you may not have physically calmed the beast down, but without your help we wouldn't have had Naboris on our side when Link and I faced Calamity Ganon." She passed the Chief a kind smile. "The burden of my crown was increased when my mother died, and I was forced to grow up a lot quicker like you. But remember this, Riju: you were given this life because you were strong enough to live it—like I put my faith in Link over these years, the Gerudo have faith in you. You just need faith in yourself."

Now it was Riju's chance to say her gratitude; no one had ever been so sincere with her before. "Thank you, Zelda. Wholeheartedly."

Upon remembering why they had come into her chambers, Riju carried on searching and allowed Zelda to peruse her room whilst the Gerudo dug around in her chest of possessions once again. The Princess inspected the wide array of books lining the left wall as well as the small shrine at the back, a sense of pride flowing through her—Riju really was a wonderful and dedicated leader. She made her way back to the bed when the Gerudo proclaimed that she had found what she had wanted to.

Riju held a small, gilded chest in her lap, passing it over to Zelda. The latter opened it to reveal a stunning circlet resting on a plush red pillow, the varying lamps around the room casting their brilliant light onto it. It seemed to have been expertly crafted, the main body made up of golden leaves much like the circlets that royals would wear before their coronation, however this one was beautifully adorned with a flawless clarity diamond.

"Riju… where did you get this from? It must be priceless…"

The Gerudo grinned. "Actually, it was given to me by someone else." Zelda raised a brow at her, hoping for clarification. "It wasn't long after all four Divine Beasts had been reawakened when your Knight arrived here again—it was rather rude of him to come into the Fortress as I was about to go to bed, but I let him off." The Princess smiled fondly. "He told me that he was going to fight Calamity Ganon at dawn and gave me this. He told me to give it to you once Calamity Ganon was gone from the world."

"B-But why wouldn't he give it to me himself? He has never been one for nervousness."

Riju's smile turned sad, "Well he didn't say anything, though I guess after what happened 100 years ago he had the courage to try again, but he didn't think that he had the power to prevail and give it to you."

 _"And Link?"_ she remembered calling as he began to leave. He met her eyes silently. _"Please be careful. Not just for the Princess... but for yourself; you have a reason to live as much as she does."_

Zelda's heart sank like lead. Never once had her Knight been so pessimistic; at least not visibly. "Oh Link…"

"But you don't need to worry; you're both alright now," was the Gerudo's quick reply. "It's the most expensive gift in the country right now, and he must have seen the irony in the fact that it gives you defense against Guardians…" Riju paused, then, "You are his life, Zelda. He went across all of Hyrule to find this Diamond Circlet for you to celebrate the defeat of Calamity Ganon. As I said before, I don't condone what he did today, but your fear for him is mirrored by his fear for you. Haven't you told him how scared you are?"

Zelda huffed. "I tried before, did you not see?"

Riju snorted. "No offence, Zelda, but you were arguing and more so talking _at_ him than _to_ him." Her face reddened, causing the Chief to chuckle. "All I mean is that you two are still finding your feet after 100 years of being trapped all alone. The last time you saw him was when he died to protect you, for for Link the last time he was awake he failed to do his duty which lead to you fighting Calamity Ganon all alone. He wants to do his job so you aren't in danger again, and you want to make sure that he isn't in danger either."

"I know that, Riju, but I…"

"I'm not sure that you do," she cut in. "You two are so protective of one another because of the past that you haven't given yourselves time to understand that you are in the present where the threats are gone now—well most of them, anyway." She took the Princess's hand into her own. "You two are more than companions, more than Princess and guard, more than what you understand. This is only a minor hiccup out of fear for one another, and once this barrier has been knocked down, you two will move on and will make Hyrule the best that it has ever been…"

Zelda raised her free hand to cup Riju's cheek. "You are more like Urbosa than you will ever realise."

"I just like to help," she said with a grin. "Now as Chief, I order you to get some sleep and in the morning once Din brings up the sun, you two can talk through everything. And before you leave, we'll either go after the Yiga ourselves or, if they finally get the point that they aren't wanted, we'll have a sand seal race through the Wasteland."

Zelda smiled. "I'd like that, Riju. I'd like that a lot." The Hylian Princess rose from the bed and, after embracing the Gerudo Chief one last time, thanked her and left the bedchambers, her eyes constantly on the Diamond Circlet in her hands—a weight suddenly lifted from her shoulders.

It all finally made sense, she simply wished that and argument hadn't caused this sudden enlightenment.

Riju watched as Zelda's shadow receded before tugging her drapes in front of the entrance to her room and sending one last prayer to the shrine behind her bed before heading to sleep. She was proud of having helped those who protected her people from the corrupted Naboris and Calamity Ganon, but also because of the confidence that she had gained from it. It was a rather wonderful feeling, especially since she had fulfilled the Knight's wish without any melancholy burdening the moment.

Noise was no longer plaguing the town, allowing all of its inhabitants to fall asleep with ease. Despite what Riju said, Zelda was eager to sneak out and find her appointed Knight. She had found him admiring the view atop one of the outer walls of the town, and it was just a mere glance down at the Diamond Circlet in his charge's hands and a tight embrace before the argument was all but forgotten. The rest of the town slept with ease, and for the first time in a while Riju slumbered without nightmares of her mother.

However, once she had fallen asleep, the rock in the Chief's shrine began to emit a faint glow. A tiny flame ignited and glided over to the sleeping Gerudo, a whisper radiating out from it, _"My strong daughter… you could never fail me… you are stronger than the winds and brighter than the sun. Hold that in your heart and never stray from it…"_

The flame disappeared, and Riju awoke without a doubt in her heart any longer.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ So here's a fun fact; as soon as I saw the Diamond Circlet I just had to get it just so that I could have something to protect me and also to remind me of Zelda; like Link would give it to her after as it looks like a crown. I'm rather proud of this one; I feel like it ends rather abruptly so I may come back to it, but I'm glad that I switched perspectives. Now I have to update this and Bound History as well as do exams so updates may be a little wider now, but hopefully you'll still look out for this one when you can!

Either way thank you so much for the feedback and let me know what you'd like to see! I certainly want to do something about their return to Hyrule Castle, but other than that I'm open to anything! Also, what was your favourite part of Breath of the Wild? Other than the story/characters/music etc. I really loved running about and exploring the world; especially for the memories, but just to see what was about once I had run past the Yiga aha. Let me know down below!

See you lot next time! :3

 _*Zelda's quote of, "You were given this life because you were strong enough to live it," is from an unknown person, but was such a cool quote so I couldn't leave it out!_

~RandomButLoved~ **  
**


	3. Fireflies

_**Author's Note:**_ I didn't think I'd be back here again so quickly! Oh geez thank you all so much for being so supportive! We've already broken 100 followers (to put that in perspective Ancient Roots has about that and it took 2 years!) So TDDolphin (hi again by the way!) asked for something more on Impa, so I decided to make this oneshot now instead of later. It doesn't include Impa throughout, but I've tried to develop her where I can to make her a stronger figure in the story so hopefully you like it! This only took me a day to write aha ;3

 _ **Guest Reviews:**_ **Heart:** Thank you so much dear! I hope you like this one too!

 **Guest:** Awww you made my day! Thank you so much for supporting it; it wouldn't have been carried on without you lot!

 _ **Beyond**_

 _Three: Fireflies_

~O~

There was a chill to the air as night descended upon Kakariko Village. From one of the hilltops behind Sheikah Elder Impa's abode, the newly reawakened Hero of Hyrule surveyed the Sheikah town one last for the evening. The moon had not long since risen, casting its radiance across the town to reveal the fog that had begun to cling to the ground. Link had only passed through Kakariko a few times during his second attempt at destroying Calamity Ganon, and then mainly to either see Impa or help those in need. Most were only trivial tasks, though they gave him more of a clue about the world which he had suddenly found himself in.

It gave him a joy that filled a hole in his heart.

Another way of filling this void after Calamity Ganon's defeat was the Princess. She constantly wore the Diamond Circlet that he had asked Riju to give her, something which always brought a smile to her face when she was dressed for the day and rushed back inside to find it specifically. Before he had physically met her, he could only imagine how the Circlet would look on her, but every time she wore it his breath was stolen away by her beauty; with or without the Diamond Circlet. Her beauty, presence, and the way she wore her heart on her sleeve was enough to keep his mind at rest and stop him from losing his sanity.

Link sighed and rested back on his hands as one of the Sheikah went around the town and began lighting each of the torches to create a deep orange glow outside to match the candles in the windows of homes. It was a truly beautiful sight, especially from above, however he knew that he had to move soon. The first time Link had escorted Zelda to Kakariko, the latter's reunion with Impa had been rather emotional—the Hero giving his charge the space necessary for the long hours the two would spend together as 100 years. They spent the entire week in Kakariko, however their second visit wasn't going as planned; she was unnaturally quiet and solemn, but no one could understand why.

 _"She just needs time,"_ Impa explained to the Knight. _"I am not sure why her behaviour has changed suddenly, but as long as you follow what she says, then hopefully she will break free of her momentary melancholy…"_

But he hated seeing her sad with no way to express it.

And now was the time to commence his plan.

Rising to his feet, Link scaled back down the hillside and landed beside Impa's abode, peeking his head inside to reassure the Elder that everything was prepared. For the Sheikah, very little had changed in the boy. He was unsure of himself in both Eras, though now more so than ever, but he had a natural charm and determination to spread joy—he became easily protective of people and putting himself at the back of his mind. It was a dangerous and reckless thing to do, but for Impa it was an admirable trait that very few ever carried. Her smile lingered on her wrinkled complexion as she called over her granddaughter, Paya, in order to help with the boy's plan.

 _I suppose "boy" isn't the correct term anymore, is it?_ a voice at the back of the Elder's mind whispered. _He is more of a man than most of the men in Hyrule._

The Hero exited the Elder's home and nodded to Cado and Dorian as he passed them, making his way down the dusty pathway towards the inn. Ceremonial chimes to ward off evil spirits swung in the wind as well as birds nursing their young in the nearby trees. In the far distance, crickets rubbed their legs in anticipation of what the night would bring for them and the rest of nature. He halted outside the small building for a moment to compose himself.

Clearly it was going to be harder to still his nerves rather than actually pull off the plan itself...

It had began not long after Zelda's sadness became more and more apparent. Early in the third morning of their stay, Link had accidentally bumped into young Paya as he was bringing Impa some breakfast that he had prepared. Poor Paya was so quick to apologise no matter how much he said that it was quite alright. _"It was my fault,"_ he had told her, placing his hands on her shoulders. The Sheikah had blushed, but he wasn't quite sure why. _"Just because I'm the Hero doesn't mean that I shouldn't watch where I am going."_ The Hero had leaned down to pick up Paya's book, only for his hand to hover above the open journal when his eyes caught a certain passage.

It clearly wrote, _'I wonder if Master Link is in love with Princess Zelda.'_

A flustered Paya had apologised at least 10 times before rushing out, too embarrassed to speak to him since. This had lead to a very awkward conversation with Impa, who remained neutral but was grinning throughout. _"She cares about you very much, Link,"_ the Sheikah had clarified. _"However I believe such questions should be given to the lady in question."_

From that moment on, he couldn't ward off the strange thoughts. He knew that he and the Princess were connected and became very close before his death 100 years ago, although those 13 memory fragments had shown so little in the grand scheme of frustrated him that people potentially knew more about him than himself just through stories. Had he or Zelda expressed some form of devotion before and now it was never going to happen? Was she afraid that he had forgotten how much he cared for her or that he would leave her? He would never do such a thing; after all they had been through; did she not know that?

Either way, his thoughts had been greatly preoccupied until he finally came up with a plan to help his charge and hopefully rid those thoughts away.

She didn't love him; he was sure of that. Who could love the remnants of a lost man? Of a failed man?

A sudden gust of wind objected to his thoughts, or was simply a sign from the Golden Land telling him to get a move in. Chuckling under his breath, Link was grinning as he snuck into the inn nearby, waving to little Koko on the way as she headed home with a basket full of newly baked goods; the fragrance of honey wafting to his nose. The inn was naturally silent at this hour of night, both the owner Ollie and a regular Pikango slumbering at their desk and claimed corner respectively. His eyes instantly flicked over to the left where he had paid for two beds for he and Zelda to use once the latter insisted that Paya stay with her grandmother.

A small lamp on the desk illuminated the room with a soft tea rose orange hue, dragging the shadow of the cherry bonsai beside it across the room. The Knight crossed over to the the right bed where his Princess slept soundly, golden hair splayed about the pillow. Kneeling down onto the blue rug, he steeled himself up for what was about to come before gently nudging her shoulder; careful not to startle her or the other people. Thankfully some part of his brain reminded him that she was a light sleeper.

After a moment she yawned and opened her eyes, hazy viridian orbs falling onto her guard. "Link…?" she murmured. "Is everything alright?"

"Quite so, Zelda," he assured. "But there's something that I'd like you to see."

She kept one eye open as she pressed herself closer into the mattress. "Are you sleepwalking again, Link?"

Was that something he used to do? "No, I'm perfectly awake."

For a moment she said nothing at all, making Link think that he had screwed up his pan before it had even began. Then, praise be to Hylia, she opened both eyes and pushed herself upright with an effort. "I hope that this is something good, Link. I've been rather fatigued over the past few days." It was probably the truth, though also a good coverup for how melancholy she had been feeling too.

The Hero allowed her to change—he wasn't that impatient—behind the nearby screen and escorted her out after she had dressed herself in her white dress that she had worn for years now. He overstepped his boundary by offering his hand to her, however she was quick to accept it. His heart was beating rapidly against his chest for another reason now; he had realised how well their hands fit together.

His mind was betraying him—he had a plan to complete.

The Princess was lead up to the Ta'loh Naeg Shrine that overlooked Kakariko Village. She grew less confused and more curious as her guard slowed into a halt beneath a gateway into a small grove ahead. He turned to her with a mischievous smile. "I want you to close your eyes," he said. She took a step back, causing him to chuckle a little. "It's alright, Zelda. I just don't want it to be ruined before you even get there…"

"A-Alright," she muttered, permitting her eyes to fall shut. She could hear his footsteps crunching through the grass as he made his way towards her, almost jumping when one arm came around her waist and the other holding her hand. Despite the fluttering nervousness in her gut, Zelda allowed him to guide her through the grove. He softly instructed her when inclines were ahead, still making sure that she was safe no matter what the situation was.

The Knight was still smiling as he finally reached the small pond deep within the grove, guiding his Princess across the small wooden bridge. He nodded to Impa, who Dorian had been relieved of his post to help her up the hill, before turning back to the woman in question. Taking a silent breath, he finally whispered in her ear, "Open your eyes…"

It sparked memories in both of their minds, but it was quickly forgotten once Zelda opened her eyes and was rendered awe-struck.

They stood in the middle of the pond together, the trees surrounding its edge littered with Silent Shrooms and Blue Nightshades; their periwinkle light radiating onto the shifting waters below. A slight breeze ruffled the grass, increasing the wonderful smell of fresh air and the wild surrounding them. Her complexion soon became even more shocked when her eyes fell on the hundreds of fireflies that had flocked to the area, waltzing between the tree trunks and towards them on the bridge.

"Link… how did you…?"

He waited until she had trailed off before helping her to sit down on the bridge, "I met a woman in town called Laisi. She had lost the love of her life and wanted to have some fireflies in her room to make her feel better during her grieving."

She couldn't take her eyes from the sight before her. "And did you?"

"Yes. I set them free in her home and she seems to be a lot happier now. But her sadness reminded me of how you must have been feeling the past few days." Praying that she wouldn't yell at him, he softly touched her hand. She jumped a little from the suddenness though didn't object. "So far all you have seen is Hyrule's destruction and decay, but there is still so much beauty in the wild that you've missed—it's what kept me going when I felt like my work was going nowhere. I just looked to the wild and found my heart again."

Zelda let her head fall onto his shoulder. "There is true beauty in the wild that I seemed to have forgotten since I returned to Hyrule," she agreed quietly. "But you haven't changed; you still hate to see me sad."

Link glanced up to the Sheikah Elder, cueing her to pass him something. Zelda's eyes were still on the masses of fireflies that warmed her heart. Their soft buzzing as they passed made her feel unexpectedly alive, and in that moment she knew that she wanted to come back and see them over and over again. A voice beside her momentarily pulled her from her train of thought.

Her eyes met Link's evenly, although after a moment they fell to the wicker plant pot in his hands—more so the lone Silent Princess that was growing in it.

"Link… we can't…"

"Do you remember when you showed me the Silent Princesses for the first time? When you told me that you couldn't grow them domestically and almost made me eat a frog?" he asked. Her eyes widened and she nodded with joy—he had happier memories as well as the horrid ones. "Ever since I got that one back, I had Impa help me with domesticating the flowers. Of course they will forever grow in the wild—I don't think you'd like them the all thrive indoors anyway—but she found a way to pot them correctly."

"A-And you're just giving it to me?"

He nodded, "You aren't quite a silent Princess, but you are just as amazing. I may not completely remember our time together, but that doesn't stop us from making new memories like this one. Hyrule is going to thrive, and tonight is the symbol of that—the night comes, but the light only strengthens in the darkness."

"You are the light—our light…" she began, to which they finished together, "That must shine upon Hyrule once again."

Between the fireflies and the Silent Princess in her hands, she was breathtakingly beautiful. _'I wonder if Master Link is in love with Princess Zelda.'_ The words from Paya's diary slipped back into his mind again, conflicting thoughts racing through his train of thought. What if he had loved her in the other Era? Did that mean that he loved her now or had that potential to? Maybe he was completely wrong and just wanted to see her happy.

All of his thoughts were silenced when he pressed his lips onto the crown of her head.

He instantly pulled back and sputtered all apologies possible—he hadn't meant to, it was just his mind betraying him at the wrong moment. He had moved too quickly and hadn't thought; he always thought about the situation before moving and this time he didn't. Then she started to smile, and after that giggle. His stomach dropped, his mind still reeling from what he had done. They had somehow managed to move closer, their hearts beating as one.

And yet, as they went to seal the moment, the Princess placed a hand on his shoulder. Her eyes were filled with sadness and regret, though not in the way that Link had thought. "I…" Zelda began. "I don't want to take advantage of you like this…"

"I-I understand…"

"No… I don't think that you do," she insisted. "Over those 100 years alone and even before, something deep inside of me longed for you. I hoped that you had felt the same but… we were separated before I could even try and ask." The Hero listened intently, hoping that his racing thoughts weren't just made out of a fanatical desire that had no foundation. "And now you haven't recovered all of your memories, I can't ask you to devote yourself to me when you are in a fragile state."

It took him a while to say something. Brushing some hair from her eyes, he finally murmured, "Thank you." She curled up into his side, thankful that there were no hard feelings between them. "Ever since I first heard your voice wake me up in this Era, something inside me knew you—longed for you. I may not have all of my memories back yet, nor can I devote myself to you in the way that you want just yet… but maybe someday, when Hyrule is stronger—when _I'm_ stronger—I will be able to follow what my heart is telling me to do." He cast his gaze down to her. "Will you wait for me?"

She found his eyes and smiled contentedly, "I waited 100 years for you to return—I am sure that I can wait a little longer for you…"

In their healing process, they were the center of one another's universes; once they healed this wouldn't change.

Impa and Dorian were still watching on from a few feet away, and now Paya had made her way up to see what had happened. According to the Sheikah Elder, Papa had developed feelings for the Hero by the way she felt towards him, but Paya wasn't one for jealousy. As she had written in her diary once, it was a feeling that he most likely never returned or shared, yet the feeling of love in her heart was a gift enough.

And now as she watched the Princess and her appointed Knight talk quietly to one another, all she felt in her heart was true happiness for them.

It wasn't much longer before Impa, Dorian, and Paya retreated from the grove to leave the two alone. They hadn't noticed. Paya was quick off to her chambers to begin her nightly prayers of protection for Kakariko Village and Dorian had returned to his guard duties, which left Impa alone in her abode. She didn't mind it at all—it gave her time to think—and this time loneliness certainly wasn't a curse.

The Elder glanced over to the framed photo on the wall; the final fragmented memory which Link was tasked with finding. She had asked him to return to her after so that she could answer any questions that he had, the familiar sensation of worrying coursing through her strong veins when he didn't. Impa had cursed her age as she sent Cado to find their Hero, yet she was still thankful that she had done magic left in her when he had returned.

According to Cado, the Hero had reawakened the final memory connected to all of the photos that they had and lost himself in the emotion of it. The Sheikah had found him attacking a dormant Guardian—Impa later understood it to be the one that had tried to take his life during the final fight—and refused to listen to Cado when he tried to bring Link back to Kakariko Village. Instead the Knight was lost in his determination to save his charge that he took off in the direction of the Castle.

A Guardian Scouter had managed to get in their way, yet Link took it on without hesitation. He didn't care for any of the Guardian's attacks, meaning that Cado often stepped in to protect him. Cado was determined to battle it too and did, but his flimsy blade couldn't match that of the Master Sword and the ancient arrows that the Hero carried with him. However by the time the Guardian had been felled, Link had become too physically and mentally drained to carry on.

Being greeted by Cado carrying Link into her abode is a sight she wouldn't forget, nor the sight of Zelda entering her abode 100 years ago after that fated battle.

 _"I failed you,"_ he moaned constantly in his sleep. _"I'm sorry I'm never strong enough, Princess..."_

He was a true Hero, but that didn't make him immune to his struggles.

The man had a failure complex—something that hadn't changed after 100 years—one that was only beginning to heal now that Zelda was safe.

Impa was dragged from her reminiscence when she heard the sound of faint laughter from outside. She forced her stiff joints into movement and slid open the door slightly so that she wouldn't be caught. Link and Zelda were returning to the inn, hands interlocked and laughter echoing quietly around the silent town.

It was the happiest that Impa had ever seen either of them.

The two slipped into the inn and seemed to settle in for the rest of the night, allowing Impa to settle down herself. Not only was she glad that the two had found one another again after the turmoil of Calamity Ganon over the past 100 years, Impa also smiled at the idea that they were healing. The two clearly cared for one another, however were also smart enough to give one another time before pushing anything. Their presence alone was enough to infect those around them with joy and despite their deep pain from within, they were able to begin that healing process faster than anyone would have expected.

Impa turned her gaze to the framed photo on her nightstand of her and her late husband together in the same grove that she had just returned from. One of the guards who had accompanied them had taken the photo, and deep longing for him stirred in her heart at the joy on their faces as they were surrounded by hundreds of fireflies and Silent Princesses. Although he had passed during the Calamity Era, she felt no regrets—that photo was enough to signify their entire marriage and keep her strong during the darkest of days.

Her final thought as she drifted off to sleep was sheer triumph that her husband's tradition had been subconsciously passed down to the next generation.

Who else gave the Hero the idea of taking his charge to see the fireflies but the Sheikah Elder herself?

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Here we are then! After Laisi's sidequest I really wanted a oneshot about fireflies, so I'm rather proud of this one. Originally I was writing a oneshot about Link and Zelda returning to Hyrule Castle and while that'll still be one, it wasn't working and this was just was. Hopefully you liked it! It took all my strength not to get a kiss out of it; but I will make it happen!

Also, on the topic of Breath of the Wild: what did you name your horses? Mine were Sauvage (French for wild), Epona (I got her from the Amiibo), and Lien (French for link/a connection)!

 ** _**Also please have the people of London in your thoughts after what has happened today**_**

~RandomButLoved~


	4. Father and Daughter

_**Author's Note:**_ The support for this has been absolutely incredible! I've worked so hard on this story (going back into the game and going through everything etc.) and to have such a positive response has honestly made my week! Thank you all so much! This one was requested by a guest reviewer so hopefully they and the rest of you will like it!

 _ **Guest Reviews:**_ **Guest:** Yes of course you can! Thank you ever so much for the compliment, and to thank that this chapter is based around your request! I loved their diary entries from the game and your request has given me many ideas on how to give them that closure so hopefully you'll like it!

 **Heart:** I hope you like it!

 **Guest:** Ahh thank you so much!

 _ **Beyond**_

 _Four: Father and Daughter_

~O~

Two sets of hooves trotted over the mossy footbridge, their riders completely silent as their destination came into sight. They could have easily used the power of the Sheikah Slate to travel to their destination, however the Princess was eager to take the time in exploring Hyrule once more and calm her nerves before conducting her task. Her Knight glanced over at her constantly to make sure that she was well, though over the past few hours she had become a closed book; something which was usually his job. Returning his eyes onto the large structure ahead, he sighed with unease.

Zelda had become rather insistent on returning to the Spring of Courage again in the past few days. At first, Link understood it to be her attempting to keep her power alive by constantly devoting herself to each of the Goddesses, however when he saw the pain in her eyes he realised why she was so adamant in going. Farore, the Goddess of Courage, was widely known and accepted as the deity who created life. A part of him recalled many people visiting the Spring of Courage to offer items for the departed, and it wasn't much longer before he realised what his charge wanted to do.

She wanted to offer something to Farore for her father—the man who she had left on terrible terms with.

Bright pink flowers blew in the gentle breeze as the two rode into the main area of the Spring, walls covered in old carvings which had decayed over the years. It was still a beautiful sight though, as if Farore had ordered nature to weave its way back into the Spring which her creations had made for Her. The path became more and more littered with rubble that had fallen away over the years as the actual Spring came into sight, a large statue resembling Farosh—Farore's divine protector of this region—sheltered it; a large tree growing over its head in an attempt to claim it for its own. Link had come here before to offer Farore one of Farosh's scales, but never before had he felt such a strong power radiating out of this place before.

The Princess and Knight rode through the structure and into the Spring of Courage, a sense of finality flooding through them. They dismounted their stallions and made their way into the Spring on foot, morning dew from the moss clinging to their shoes with each footfall. Each of the pillars no longer stood tall in their full glory, but were now cracked and choked by vines. A ethereal light cloaked the area; in reality it was due to the sunlight reflecting off of the vegetation showering the Spring, but it was a comforting thought to see it as Farore's power radiating out from the statue ahead. Nervousness bubbled in Zelda's gut, however the sense of closure that she would gain from it pushed her through.

The Princess and her guard halted at the top of a small stairway, their gaze falling onto the water before them. It was cluttered with leaves and more broken pillars—their torch holders close to snapping off completely. Zelda inhaled deeply and began to strip off her shoes. "Are you sure that you want to do this again?" came his voice from behind.

She refrained from rolling her eyes as she tested the water, glad that the humidity of the region had kept the water somewhat warm. "Of course, Link. I need this closure. You may return to Kakariko if you wish but—"

"Zelda," he cut in for the first time in a while. A smile tugged at her lips; she knew what he was going to say next. "As your guard and your friend, I'll stand by you… just from outside the Spring." He tested the water himself and flinched at the temperature—it wasn't as warm as the Princess had believed. Urbosa's voice broke into his train of thought without warning, _"She once passed out in the freezing waters trying to access this sealing power."_ His stomach twisted. "And... if you pass out?"

She cast her eyes to him, "I'll be fine, Link. Don't worry about me."

He sighed. She was a stubborn Princess—that much hadn't changed—but he knew that he could trust her. And if anything did happen, he would be there for her. "You know where I'll be if you need me; for anything." She passed him a grateful glance and moments later he squeezed her hand, wished her luck, and allowed her to pray alone; just as he did 100 years ago.

Zelda sighed as her Knight took a seat on the broken steps, resting the scabbard of the Master Sword between his feet.

The Princess produced her father's royal signet ring, something that she had never let go of despite the bad terms that they left on. They had argued over Zelda's dedication to awakening the power within her to seal Calamity Ganon away. They hadn't raised their voices, but the disappointment dripped off of the King so much that Zelda had to excuse herself moments after so that Link—who had been present at the time—and her servants didn't see her fall apart.

The King had left her one of his signet rings to remind her of her duty, and ever since then she had kept it at her side so that she could return it to him with a heartfelt apology.

Now she would, just not in the way she had originally planned.

The Princess let the ring plummet into the water, a golden light encasing the piece as it thudded against the bottom of the Spring. Zelda bowed her head and clasped her hands together, "I come seeking help…" They were the same words that she used many times when she prayed at the other Springs across Hyrule. "However this time it regards my father… It may be rather selfish of me to ask of you, but I wish to send my deepest apologies to him. I failed him and Hyrule—and despite my fight over the past 100 years, I still let him down. It may not be much, however—"

The statue immediately began glowing before she could even complete her prayer; something that didn't happen 100 years ago. She gasped as the entire water glowed a deep gold and swirled around the Princess. She could vaguely hear the voice of her Knight from behind, however her eyes were glued onto the sight before her.

 _"You are strong and wise,"_ a voice twinkled. _"You deserve to be given closure, my Daughter…"_

She blacked out.

* * *

The Princess's vision took longer than expected to return to her. Her feet were bare against the carpeted floor, tickling her toes as it moulded to her feet. Zelda's eyes went skyward on instinct, perplexion coursing through her veins at the sight of extremely familiar high arched ceilings and crimson tapestries lining the walls. Her heart jumped at her recognition of the room as her eyes found the Hylian Crest statue before her, torches and candelabras casting a deep orange shimmer across the chamber. A white, almost ethereal light, flooded in from three arches ahead, illuminating a figure which stood above her.

 _It cannot be…_

It was the Observation Room in Hyrule Castle, and the figure before her was—

Zelda immediately raced for the mirrored staircases, gripping onto the mahogany banisters as she took two steps at a time. The figure, even with just a silhouette, was too familiar to ignore—especially with her previous prayers to the Goddess of Courage. It couldn't have been a dream; the Goddess of Courage must have answered her prayers more than she could have hoped for.

The outside was still a blur of majestic light as the Princess slowed before the central arch, staring out into the castellated balcony as the light began to form the rest of Hyrule beneath her. However, the world was set in a way before Calamity Ganon struck the Kingdom; the Divine Beasts stood atop hilltops but refrained from firing, Castle Town wasn't obliterated, and the air wasn't tarnished by the acrid presence of Calamity Ganon.

And yet, her eyes were only on the man standing on the balcony. His plum cloak trimmed with golden decorations swayed in the wind, slightly tanned hands resting on the stone. His hair, still as silver as she remembered, was finely combed and cut, his boots unmarred from mud or blood. Her breath had hitched moments before, and now she was struggling to recall how to breathe normally.

"Do not be afraid, my flower…"

The Princess's eyes watered at the sound of his rich tone, a tone she had been deprived of outside of her memories for the past 100 years. He turned halfway towards her, revealing the crisp white garments held together by golden triangle clasps and a large belt bearing the Triforce insignia. Oh how she had missed the sight of him before the Calamity. Even with only a partial view of him, her fears had already faded away completely.

King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule stood before her.

"Oh Father…"

He finally allowed himself to find her eyes, royal blue eyes threaded with green so vibrant and full of life compared to those of the apparitions of him in her nightmares which had been so devoid of life. His circlet glittered in the bright sunlight, his skin slightly taut and creased by stress and wrinkles respectively. If Zelda hadn't felt lighter than air already, she was sure that she would have fainted on the spot at that very moment. His skin wasn't devoid of colour like she would have expected, however she couldn't feel his presence despite the fact that he was only a few feet away.

Zelda didn't bother to compose herself before she surged forwards and leapt into her father's arms, clutching onto his robe as she fell limp and sobbed into his chest. All of the pain and holes in her heart burst free, and the King's heart broke at the sound that she made. He eased her down onto the ground and softly stroked her hair, calming her down just like it always used to.

Although neither of them could feel one another's presences, it meant more to them than anything else in the world.

"I'm sorry, Father," she wailed. "I failed you all! I should had dedicated myself more, I should have—"

"Hush now, my Zelda," he quickly stepped in. Rhoam tucked his finger beneath her wet chin and lifted it up. "You fought so hard to protect your people, and all I did was condemn any actions that I believe strayed from your path. If you had not conducted that research after all, then we may not be here right now..."

"Exactly," she murmured, lightly touching his face. "You would be alive…"

"Oh far from it. We would have been in a worse position… Calamity Ganon may not have been stopped by now if it wasn't for you," he replied softly. "You awoke your power at a time when it was most needed… if anyone has failed, then it is me as your father…"

"Don't say that!" she snapped, though her voice broke before it could carry any anger. "I won't deny that I feel more like your servant that your daughter at times, but without it I may not have awakened my power in the end… maybe Link wouldn't be…" She trailed off to recompose herself. "I am just happy to see you one last time… I needed some closure for my failure."

He tucked some damp hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead before helping her onto her feet. "I forced your destiny upon you, and I realised this once you had left for Mt. Lanayru. I was prepared to apologise for all that I had done… however it wasn't long before we were all catapulted into a doomed fate that not even prayers could save us from. I believe that we are both in dire need of closure."

Zelda's heart sank at his words—they were so close to mending everything before Calamity Ganon appeared, and now their only way to apologise was through prayers to Farore. "None of this was your fault, Father. It may have taken 100 years, but now you are able to say what you wanted to after I had left… and so can I."

Rhoam glanced down to his daughter with a soft smile, "Fate is a fickle mistress—not even I could try and awaken your power before the Goddesses willed for it to be—and while I and many others are now gone from this world, you and the Hero did what we could not; you both destroyed Calamity Ganon and have plunged this fine land into one of peace once more."

"I know that…" Zelda whispered. "But there is still so much for us to do. There is no royal family, no one knows about me, the Divine Beasts could be lost at any point, Calamity Ganon could return again, and to say the least I doubt that I shall ever forgive myself for so many deaths on that fateful day, and I—"

The King drew her into a deep embrace. "Do not place such a heavy burden on yourself, Zelda. It will take time for the pain to pass, but as with I it will pass. I can promise you that much at least." He pulled away enough to keep her in his arms and show her the beautiful view of Hyrule before them. "And as for your task now, it is nothing that cannot be done—Calamity Ganon is gone for now at least; I doubt that he shall return to you in this life.

"What do you mean?"

"You have the chance to strengthen this Kingdom and allow it to prosper before he may return, and now you must take that chance," he clarified. "You must follow your heart, Zelda, as that is where your true self lies. You were never made to govern this Kingdom in the traditional ways that you had been raised with. You must find your own path from the wilds of your Kingdom, and whether you are crowned again in weeks or not at all, your destiny has been fulfilled and I could not be prouder as your father and as the last King of Hyrule."

The Princess lost her voice and breath.

 _"I could not be prouder as your father and as the last King of Hyrule."_

Over the 17 years of her life before the Great Calamity, never once had her father told her that he was proud of her. He always loved and cherished her, he said as much often, however King Rhoam was not one for throwing about pride for others unless it was earnt. Another reason why Zelda had been so spiteful towards Link was because he had earnt the pride of the King before his own daughter had—the audacity of it was completely ridiculous but still occurred.

But now, with Calamity Ganon defeated and her heart ever so slightly healed, Zelda finally felt pride coming from her father instead of a deep sense of duty and disappointment. She could finally rest knowing that she had met her father's expectations.

"You… do you really mean that?"

His eyes shone with a deep mourning, "I do, my flower. I always have been proud of you for my entire life, however I never seemed to show it. Despite the frustration with awakening your power and the loss of so many lives, you never lost faith in the Hero or your people. You knew that you had to keep fighting because they were just as strong. You couldn't fail yourself or them, and for that, my flower, because of your unimaginable strength, I could not have been prouder."

"Oh Father…" Zelda choked. "I will always strive to make you proud… always."

"There is nothing else that you can do to make me proud, Zelda, because I have always been proud of you ever since the day you graced this land..." He moved some hair out of her eyes. "I will always be proud, Zelda. You must never forget that."

"We all are." Zelda spun around at the new voice, finding the four original Champions standing before her—Mipha, Urbosa, Revali, and Daruk. They were all without any scars whatsoever, and all had sparkles of joy in their eyes. They had all gone down fighting, and now that Link had freed the Divine Beasts they could all rest in peace knowing that their duties as Champions and companions of the Princess were complete.

The Princess smiled as each of them stepped forward to embrace her and whisper words of encouragement into her ear. "You are stronger than the desert winds, Zelda. You and that boy will be fine," Urbosa began.

"Take care now, Princess. You and the little guy deserve a break after all of this," Daruk assured with a heart clap to her shoulder.

"You have done so much, Princess," Revali praised, kneeling before her. "Maybe your Hylian Champion isn't so bad after all—he'll make sure that you are happy."

Mipha stood forward last and took Zelda's hands. "We will always follow you in spirit, Zelda. We all believe that it was not your fault, however it is now up to you to believe in yourself. Otherwise you will not heal… and we cannot have that, Princess." They both smiled softly to each other before they knelt down before her, King Rhoam holding his arms around her.

"Hyrule is safe in your hands, Zelda. I would have no one else for my daughter, and I hope that you can rest easily for the first time," he murmured. "You must let go of the past and take a firm hold on the future. That is the only way you will live the life that you want to."

Her eyes widened. "But… but I cannot let go of all of you! T-That would be blasphemous!"

"Then carry us in your heart, but do not let our fates burden you," he replied with a slight chuckle. Embracing her one last time, the world brightened more and more as he planted a soft kiss onto the crown of your head. "I love you with all of my heart, Zelda. Nothing could ever change how proud I am of you… We will always be in your heart, but you are strong enough to protect this land on your own."

"Father…"

She went to say more—what it was she wasn't quite sure of—only for a thick blanket of light to consume her. Their pride and peace rippled through the bond that they had shared, and all Princess Zelda could feel was a deep sense of atonement. As she was swiftly returned to the world of reality, another voice echoed around her, " _You have done well, my Chosen. Your spirit is at peace, your people are safe… but do not cry because of what has happened and what you have lost, but smile for what will happen and who you will gain."_

The next thing that Zelda was aware of was her body lying in lukewarm water, leaves and fallen vegetation drifting over her legs. She was vaguely aware of resting against something, however what took up most of her awareness was the tears streaking her face, the weight of a signet ring on her finger, and the small smile tugging at her rosy lips.

Her eyes fluttered upward and landed on those of her Knight, the thing that she was leaning against as he studied her in deep concern. He had refused to move her until he knew that she was awake and alright, so once he noticed her eyes were open, he quietly asked, "Are you alright?" It was a simple question, but instead of asking what happened—especially when she had only just awoken—his duty as her Knight and her friend came before the facts.

It took her a moment to process what he had asked, but once her did her eyes flicked up to the cracks in Farosh's statue which hung over them, the clear skies shining down onto them. Without looking at him, she answered, "Everything is fine, Link… everything is just fine…"

And in the far distance, high in the castellated towers of Hyrule Castle, five spirits could finally rest knowing that the Kingdom they died for was in safe hands.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Well we finally have two nice chapters in a row! Ever since I read both Zelda's and King Rhoam's diaries in Hyrule Castle, I felt so sad for them, so thank you to that guest reviewer then this chapter/closure may never have been a thing. Anyway I really hope that you enjoyed it, and if I don't get any requests the next one will focus on Link and his family so I can't wait to start writing that one. On another note, what was your favourite town in Breath of the Wild? I'm stuck between Gerudo Town, Kakariko Village, and Lurelin Village; they're all so pretty!

 _*Also the quote by the "voice" at the end was based off of the Dr. Seuss quote, "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."_

~RandomButLoved~


	5. Grieve Again

_**Author's Note:**_ Sorry for the wait, but I ended up writing this one again. I originally was going to have it set around Lurelin Village and focus more on Link's mother but there was so many plot holes and one review mentioned about how Link is carrying on his parent's duty so I thought that I'd look more into that since it is the first time his parents are working within the castle and whatnot. Either way please enjoy it! :3

 _ **Guest Reviews:**_ **minutmaidman:** Aha I know what you mean! The Gerudo Town theme really suits their race :3 I adore it too!

 _ **Beyond**_

 _Five: Grieve Again_

~O~

It was midday when it happened.

Festivities in Kakariko Village to celebrate the 6 month anniversary since Calamity Ganon's defeat had ended in an eruption of cheers—the entire Kingdom opening up their towns to anyone for the festivities. Days after, Link, Zelda and Paya had offered to help clear out many of Impa's old tomes so that they could be donated to the Tech Lab in Hateno Village and the new library there. Surrounded by stacks of tomes, the three worked throughout the day despite the spring heatwave outside.

Their piles were growing shorter when it happened. Paya and Zelda were discussing Impa's incredible collection of books when a loud _thud_ from behind startled them from their conversation. They snapped their gazes to the source of the voice, eyes widening as Link, who had been silently listening to them, was blinking rapidly with quaking hands.

"Paya," Zelda said without looking at the younger woman. "Fetch us a blanket quickly."

Link's moments of sudden remembrance hadn't happened too often since Ganon's defeat, and when one was longer than a few minutes they were in Kakariko where the Sheikah elder, dear Impa, was there to help coax him back into the present. He didn't talk about them often unless they were particularly happy or he could sense his charge's curiosity. However as soon as this flashback had began, the Princess knew that bringing him back to the present would be a hard battle. As the Elder's granddaughter scurried up to her bedchambers, Zelda took a deep breath and tended to her companion.

And yet, no matter how many of Impa's pieces of advice that Zelda remembered, he was lost. She assured him that it was just a memory, used the blanket to stop him from falling into shock and have something in the present for him to feel, she even tried to get him to name what he could sense in the room, however despite everything he was too far away for her to reach. He was lost in a storm of a horrible memory.

All she could hear him calling out for his mother and father.

When Impa had returned from an errand, she found the Hero of Hyrule in the Princess's lap, his breath shallow as he restlessly remembered a part of his past.

Link was only semiconscious as Cado helped him upstairs into Paya's chambers; the latter rarely slept in it anyway due to her prayers. The older Sheikah read through the dropped book in search of answers whilst Paya prayed for Link's swift recovery and the Princess sat by him until he woke up. He was dazed and confused—as normal after such a sudden recollection of a past long forgotten—and Zelda did as much as she can to ease him awake.

But all he did was turn away from her without saying a word.

She sat at his side for hours and only left to attempt to cook him more food that he wouldn't eat or just to get some air.

"He falls silent when he wants to bear pain alone," Impa had told her on the porch one evening. "You know this better than anyone."

She did, and while she refused to push his fragile state she was slowly becoming more and more concerned for him.

Nearly three days later, it hadn't changed.

After 100 years, it was the first time that Zelda began to lose hope in the situation.

And when her and Impa were discussing the potential trigger, Zelda could only remember one other time where he had been left so empty.

His darkest day when his duty kept him from grieving.

 _The Knight and his charge slowly made their way down the path into the main field before the Sacred Grounds and Hyrule Castle Town. Despite the increase in monster activity, the days were still bright and clear. The shadow of Hyrule Castle stood tall in the distance as Link and Zelda's stallions slowed their pace. "With the Master Sword finally drawn, we now have an effective way to combat the rising monster activity."_

 _She was met with silence, as was protocol._

 _The Princess sighed and glanced back to her Knight, even more irritated when his eyes widened as they rounded the corner leading towards the Sacred Grounds and Hyrule Castle Town. "Are you even listening?!" she snapped._

 _"No," he breathed. She was ready to yell at how disrespectful it was, but once she realised that he whispered the word in fear rather than an answer, she straightened as Link immediately cast his gaze over to the Princess, "Stay close to me, Princess. The fight could be over, but we cannot be sure."_

 _Confused she turned her eyes to the road ahead._

 _Hyrule Castle Town was still standing, however the area before it was devoid of all trees, the mud upturned, and both corpses of monsters and soldiers alike spread across the terrain._

 _While they had gone to obtain the Master Sword, the soldiers of Hyrule were fighting to protect their pride and joy._

 _Link and Zelda rode fiercely towards the Castle, only slowing down as hundreds of guards and medics came into view in the distance. Link, despite his fear, helped his charge from her horse before escorting her into Castle Town. Spotting one of the guards, he called them over, "Orville, what happened?"_

 _"It all happened so fast," the young man breathed. "An influx of monsters stormed the town_ — _Moblins, Lynels, all of them_ — _and we barely managed to protect all of the citizens and the Castle itself."_

 _"Is it safe to enter the Castle?"_

 _"It is. But Link," he called as the two made to leave. "Find Colonel Vangarre. He wishes to speak with you."_

 _They were both confused at what the man meant, however it soon became apparent when the Princess came out of a meeting with her father and her guard was not waiting for her_ — _against protocol. She had been partially relieved to have been freed of his presence, however angered by his sudden change she searched the grounds for him, finding him outside one of the private infirmaries._

 _He straightened as soon as he saw her, "I'm sorry, Your Grace," he instantly sputtered. "But_ — _"_

 _"You ignored protocol."_

 _"I left to tend to my father," he said after a pause. "I apologise for leaving you, however I knew that you were safe… meanwhile my father…" He explained that his mother, a handmaiden but also a trained medic, had been shot with a Lynel arrow and his father was now in a critical condition_ — _he wasn't expected to make it._

 _Her anger completely disappeared, but before she could say anything, one of the doctors came out. Link's eyes shone with hope, only for it to be snuffed out by a slow shake of the older man's head._

 _Despite how much she despised him, her heart still broke as he aimed to quickly compose himself._

 _He had lost both parents whilst conducting the duty that he would later die for. His family was born out of duty, and because of this he did not shed any tears; not even in private._

 _Some memories weren't meant to be remembered again._

The memory had been raw for he after 100 years, so for Link to have to remember that event again would have stripped him away mentally.

This became apparent when she took some food made by the sweet Koko up to him. She had taken his hand into hers and squeezed it, praying for a response. _"You've always had so many eyes on you… so much at stake. You once told me that you are so quiet because you have no choice but to be strong and silently bear any burden,"_ she had told him. _"But those eyes aren't there now, and those stakes have been cleared. You don't have to bear this pain alone… You don't have to stop outwardly expressing your thoughts and feelings to protect us. You're… you may be protecting me, but you're terrifying me too… I don't want you to waste away when you can grieve and heal with me…"_

The Princess believed wholeheartedly that bearing her soul to him to evoke something, _anything_.

He remained the exact same.

Zelda briskly left the room and Kakariko as a whole to compose herself in private, only returning to Impa's abode to eat dinner with the two Sheikah. It was a quiet affair, even quieter with little commotion from outside or upstairs. Once Zelda had helped to clear the dishes away, she and the others retired to a small guest room for prayers and rest. All prayed for the continued peace within Hyrule but also the return of their Hero once more.

* * *

A thud startled her from her sleep.

Zelda groggily awoke, the lantern in the corner of the room barely alight. It must have been late in the night for the crickets had gone to bed and both Impa and Paya had finally fallen asleep also. The Princess sat up as a wooden board from outside creaked, sending her body on edge as she wondered who had broken in; the Yiga, someone else, or something else entirely. She clambered onto her feet as another plank groaned against a weight against it, her thin white nightgown pooling over her knees as she crossed the dark room and poked her head around the slightly ajar rice panel.

A figure was carefully making their way out of the elder's abode, making sure that no one caught them—to which they had failed miserably. Zelda held herself in the darkness of the shadows as they pushed the door open, allowing the moonlight to catch their hair and face.

"No…" she breathed.

After days of not moving or responding to anything, Link was up and creeping out into Kakariko—where to only he knew.

 _He's not thinking straight_ , she told herself. _He hasn't eaten or slept properly. He's acting on instinct or he is sleepwalking._

She had to do something.

Zelda left her chambers once he had left, unhooked her cloak from the wall and picked up the Sheikah Slate from a chest beneath one of the floorboards—they had to keep it safe and she thanked the Goddesses that he hadn't taken it, otherwise he would be anywhere in Hyrule—to bring him back before racing out into the night. Her cloak protected her from the immediate blast of cold air, however as she began jogging after her Knight it lacked protection for her legs and arms. He hadn't even taken his horse or any weapons with him, something which sent shivers down her spine; either he hadn't thought about taking them in his state or had become self-destructive in the past few days of grief and shock.

The Princess begged that it was the former.

She had managed to catch up to him rather quickly, calling out for him as they both arrived in the graveyard of Guardians in Blatchery Plain where the Hero had lost his life 100 years ago. Although no matter how many times she called out for him, he either couldn't hear her or refused to listen. It was ironic how 100 years ago she had yelled at him to stop following her and now she couldn't let him leave her side.

By the time she was within a few feet of him, the Princess reached out for his arm and spun him around into a halt. His eyes shone with immediate recognition. "Z-Zelda!" Link gasped. "What are you doing here? Go back to Kakariko where it's safe!"

"I'm not leaving without you," she firmly replied, surprised at how firm his voice was after such disuse. "It is not safe for you either."

"I'll be back at sunrise, Zelda, now go back to safety…"

"No," she snapped as he shifted to walk away. "Why are you out here?"

The Knight avoided her eyes for a moment. "It's a private matter… but I will return at sunrise." Despite his reassurance, it lacked strength.

Zelda released his arm to take his hand. "So you have a flashback, refuse to talk or eat or anything that keeps me sane, and then you run off into the night for a private matter?" She sighed, running her hand through her hair. "I am not angry, Link, but I am scared for you. After what you saw you need to grieve, but running away isn't—"

"I'm not running way!" he snapped. Her gut twisted at the bite in his tone. "Just… just leave me alone."

As he began to walk away from her, she yelled, "Not until you tell me why you're running!" Link stopped immediately without turning to find her eyes. Droplets of rain began to sprinkle over them and the already muddy grass. "Please don't go after something alone. We always used to do it together, remember? I want to be at your side through thick and thin—especially after I lost you…"

The Hero swallowed thickly as he pivoted around and backpedaled away from her, holding his hands out when she rushed towards him. "D-Don't do that," he stammered. "Don't guilt—trip me into letting you come with me—I've done that too many times and you always end up being hurt. I can't do that again." His eyes unfocused for a moment. "It's always my fault…"

"That isn't true," Zelda soothed, clasping her hands as she took a hesitant step forward. "The events in this world have never been blamed upon you." She was within a foot of him, though refrained from touching his hand. "And I would never force you into taking me with you… I just don't want you to suffer alone…"

He muttered something under his breath.

The skies groaned from above, signalling a heavy downpour. She didn't want him getting sick, but without gaining his trust in this state she would never get him back to Kakariko.

"What did you—?"

"Maybe I deserve it!" Link cried before his voice fell into a whisper. The rain began to fall harder as he spoke, "The Champions… the people… my Mother and Father… you… I failed you all and all I can remember is the guilt…" He raised his head. "I can't even remember where my parents are buried, my Zelda. Can you even fathom the pain of that? I only have one memory of them—one where I failed them—and now I can't even find them to apologise… That's why I'm out here!"

"Link…" the Princess breathed, heat forming at the edges of her eyes as she reached out for him; he quickly ripped his arm away from her.

"I'll never be who I once was… I'll never be like him; I'll forever be a shell. I left everyone to die… and all I did was fall too…" Link raised his head skyward, uncaring for the downpour. "Go back to Kakariko, Zelda," he demanded weakly. "There's nothing left for you here anymore…"

She was stunned as he began to make his way further into the field of decayed Guardians, frozen to the spot completely. His sudden flashback had not only reawakened a horrible memory from 100 years ago, but also an age-old pain that he had never dealt with. And now that both had resurfaced together, he was adamant in dealing with it alone. He always had eyes on him and a heavy duty on his shoulders forcing him to silently bear any burden, and even with that duty fulfilled and those prying eyes gone he couldn't change how he was raised.

It broke her heart that he never told her.

The lack of movement and food in the Hero's system soon overcame him, causing him to stagger a little. He bore the dizziness well, yet the Princess still noticed. Refusing to her her closest friend and her light fall away into his own darkness, Zelda raced forwards and wrapped her arms around him from behind. It was more of a way of comforting him, but also she made sure that she held his arms so that he couldn't break free of her hold. He tensed up at her touch before sighing, "Please Zelda… let me go…"

He didn't mean it in a literal sense.

"I will never let you go, not like this," she whispered furiously into his ear. "Run as fast as you can to find forgiveness, but only you can give it to yourself—no one else in this world or beyond blames you for any of this. You may have forgotten so much, Link, but courage can never be forgotten. It is what has driven you into the night in the rain: the courage to face your fears by looking for their graves… but you never have to face your fears alone…"

"You did…"

"I faced my failure and Calamity Ganon alone, yes, but I always had you with me—even if you weren't there," she explained before bringing them both to their knees. "And that is what you must understand: you must face this darkness within you, but you must always have someone with you to hold out a lantern."

He curled into his arms to cover his face. "But what if I lose you again?"

"You will never lose me, Link," she said softly, running her thumb over his arm. "Not in mind, body, or spirit. I will always be at your side, just like you always have been for me. Not even on the blackest of nights or the brightest of days that the Goddesses have to offer us, not in our darkest hours of needs or our wonderful hours of joy. You will never ever lose me, and I will never ever lose you. We are a team through and through. You taught me that, and without your strength we would not be here today."

"But that's the strength I used to have… I lost that too…"

"It isn't a physical strength, Link," she said firmly, releasing one hand to rest it over his heart. "It all comes from in here—your strength, your courage, your determination, and your love for Hyrule and everything in it. It will take a while for your memories to come back as well as everything else that you wanted out of your past life, but one thing that you have never lost is the spirit within you."

The Princess let her Knight break free of her hold as he came in for a bone-crushing hug. She ran her fingers through his soaked hair as he held back a sob, so proud of her for just being her—she hadn't changed even if he had. "Zelda…" she barely heard him over the rain, however when he murmured her name again she leaned back so that he could lift his head. "Do you… do you remember where they were buried?"

She closed her eyes for a moment. "I believe so…" His eyes widened. "But not tonight, Link… you're soaked and upset. It wouldn't be—"

"I don't care," he cut in. "I want to see them… I need to see them, Zelda. I can't wait this time… not again…"

Her shoulders slumped. She remembered the period just after her mother had passed. She still needed to train but despite her father's constant demands she still begged him to take a few days off to properly grieve. Thankfully he had granted her that straight away, however months later she had to sneak out just to sit at her grave.

She knew how Link felt on a lesser scale—she remembered her mother completely, after all—and as worried as she was for his health, he would only drive himself mad in Kakariko and sneak out again.

Zelda had a duty as his friend.

Thankfully she had brought the Sheikah Slate so that they could teleport back to Kakariko Village quickly, though this time she used it to take them both to the entrance of Hyrule Castle. The site wasn't too far from the Castle itself, the ruins of Hyrule Cathedral barely seen as ruins, yet there was still a small area where ruined graves stood; thankfully Zelda could remember which ones they were searching for.

The storm wasn't as strong in this part of Hyrule, yet they were still drenched by the time the Princess had lead Link by the hand into the area.

Of course it hadn't been tended to over the past 100 years, but they were still able to navigate their way through the memorial yard. Zelda had to dig deep into her memory to remember which graves in particular were the ones that they wanted, however it wasn't long before the memory of watching from the battlements as Mipha and Urbosa comforted Link. It broke her heart then and now, but back then she felt wrong to comfort someone when she wasn't sure about her relationship with him.

Now, however, she refused to leave his side.

Once Zelda slowed into a halt before two graves beneath a willow tree, the Hero's breath slowed. Something was screaming at the back of his mind yet he couldn't remember it properly. It frustrated him further as he gazed down to the stone fitted into the ground. Their names weren't as easy to see after 100 years, but they could both sense who they belonged to.

He knelt down with a quaking breath, subconsciously brushing his fingers across the ruined names. "I don't remember the last time I came to see you." He glanced back to his charge and added, "Did I come here often?"

She forced a smile, "Whenever you could spare the time."

Link turned his eyes back to the graves. "I suppose you've been watching over ever since you…" He sighed. "I-I don't have any flowers or anything… but…" He laughed lightly. "I don't even know what to say anymore. I wish that I had come back to the battle earlier… maybe I couldn't have saved you but maybe I could have given you some comfort or something. Hopefully you can hear me, because otherwise you won't know how sorry I am for a long time."

Zelda jumped when he suddenly took her hand and helped her kneel onto the ground. "This is the same Princess Zelda that you remember running through the halls and pranking the guards." She held back a smile as he squeezed her hand. "I'm rather protective of her, you see. I always have been. She's kept me going throughout everything—even now. I'm sorry that I ever forgot you… but if I hadn't then I wouldn't be alive; I wouldn't be carrying on your duty if it wasn't for what happened. I guess what I want to say is… you'll always be in my heart as I won't be seeing you for a while. I'm not as strong or smart as I once was—"

"Link…"

"But I have a duty to Zelda and this Kingdom, and that will never leave me…"

He continued to talk "with them" for as long as he could, both the strain of hunger and emotional suffering keeping him on the ground. Zelda held her arms around his shoulder, refusing to let go of his hand as the memories of being at their gravesites dripped back into his memory. The Princess never once asked if he wanted to leave, knowing that it would be rude and accusing when he wasn't ready to leave—who would be so soon after remembering their demises?

Hours passed before the Hero had exhausted his words and apologies, and Zelda began to ask about what he remembered about their lives. If he only recalled their deaths then he would grieve his entire life. He had few memories, however he still had happier ones; journeys to Lurelin Village as a family, his father teaching him the basics of swordplay, his mother's kind words and soft singing voice, and their gift of a sword and horse for his coming of age. By then he was already in the military ranks, meaning that his life was finally given purpose.

She noted his eyes fluttering by the time the sun wasn't far from rising again, the storm having completely passed. Zelda gathered Link up into her arms and held him close. Whenever he protested that it was wrong and he had to be protecting her, she merely soothed into his ear, "Just rest, Link… just rest…"

Thankfully he managed to fall asleep in her arms a few minutes, giving her a moment with the graves. "Your son is the reason why everyone is safe, and without your guidance none of us would be here." She paused. "I never had the chance to speak with you properly, only in passing, however I know that you live on through him. He's my rock but also my closest friend, and we shall all protect him as we did 100 years ago when my powers finally awoke." Zelda chuckled, "Though back then he was a little more stubborn to backing down, much like myself. I am positive that you and my parents will be sharing stories about us up there…"

She glanced down to her Knight, happy to see him resting without worries marking his features.

Brushing some hair from his face, she addressed the graves once more, "I apologise, but I should be taking him back to Kakariko. With all of this rain I don't want him getting ill, not after the past few days…" The Princess placed her free hand over each of the graves separately, "I pray that you are all safe and happy, and that you have no regrets…" Lowering her hand, Zelda pulled the Sheikah Slate from her cloak and found the Ta'loh Naeg shrine Shrine on the map, nodding one last time to the gravesites before the Princess and her Hero disappeared in a burst of brilliant blue light.

The healing process had its foundations now, yet it would be a long time before Link was back to his "normal" self once more—he would still need to figure out what that was first—but it had begun, and for that the Princess was more than grateful. He had already suffered enough, they both had, and returning back to "normality" wouldn't be easy. However it would come in time…

It would all come in time…

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ There you are! After this rewrite I'm really happy with how it's come out; I really wanted to see how Link would have coped with having to remember their losses all over again but also giving him closure at the same time. Please let me know how you thought of it! Also what was your favourite memory from Breath of the Wild? I loved the Silent Princess one, but also the last 3 (Zelda's Awakening actually made me cry though...), just because I'm curious! Next time we'll look at Ganon's past!

~RandomButLoved~


	6. Our Eternal Enemy

_**Author's Note:**_ I'm alive! Yes I have lots of exams coming up but I just had to get this massive chapter up to you! Hopefully it's worth the wait! Also... this story have over 14,000 views? I love you all so much! I never thought that this would get so much attention! Thank you so much for all of your lovely words; they have really motivated me recently!

 _ **Reviews:**_ **Guest:** I'm so glad! The grave scene was honestly the one that took the most amount of work; it was harder than expected! Aw thank you! Don't worry, this takes place a little after so he's a lot better now! I can just imagine them both leaning on each other. And aha don't worry the nicer ones will be coming very soon! I would love to write some one shots on what Kass and Impa said, certainly! Thank you so so much!

 **NightStarUmu:** It won't let me reply via PM, so I'll do it here! I really liked the Yiga memory; you could see so clearly on her face (and in her diary) that everything changed for her at that moment. Hopefully I can touch on that soon because I loved that memory too.

 **Guest:** Thank you so so much! I'm glad you love it!

 **Guest:** I'm sorry that you didn't like it as much. I just thought that if Link had forgotten his parents and the first thing he truly remembers about them is their deaths, then he isn't going to act in character. I hope that you like this one better!

 **Guest:** I love that memory too! They really got her emotions right through and through! And I certainly will! I really want to get to some fluff soon so I definitely will! And that would be an amazing premise! I would love to do it for a one shot but I think there are more skilled people who could take that one up! Maybe even you!

This chapter is dedicated to Lord Darth Yoda, who wanted to see more on Calamity Ganon's past! :3 I really enjoyed doing this one!

 ** _Beyond_**

 _Six: Our Eternal Enemy_

~O~

Their months, after much hardship, had finally lapsed into peace.

Link and Zelda were preparing to visit the main cities in order to begin helping them in any way possible in the aftermath of Calamity Ganon's defeat and wished to pass through Hateno Village on the way. The Princess was overjoyed to hear that Purah, Impa's sister, was still alive and was rather eager to see her again. Not only was she the woman who took Link to the Shrine of Resurrection 100 years ago, but she was also a dear friend.

The sun was beginning to set as the two arrived at Hateno Village, the sky streaked with a wide array of crimsons and deep orange pigments, dark clouds partially blotting out the sun. Hateno Village was stunning in the warm glow of the sun, rustling trees and silhouettes of windmills in the distance sending relief through the Hero and Princess after their long trek through the Dueling Peaks province.

"Hey Link!" Thadd, a tall lanky man called from ahead of them, leaning his pitchfork against the gateway to wave them in. The Hero dismounted his horse to shake the man's hand. Clapping a hand onto his back, Thadd glanced up to the Princess. "Now who do we have here? It's not like Link to bring someone with him when he comes here—especially a lady." Thadd ignored his friend as he rolled his eyes from a few feet away.

Zelda dismounted and shook the man's hand, "Pleased to make your acquaintance. I am a good friend of Link's, and I have joined him in his journey." Thadd's eyes widened at the way she acted—far from that of commoners to say the least. When he stammered how familiar she looked, she laughed lightly, "I seem to receive that a lot recently."

"I'm sure you do, my lady."

She patted his hand, "Just Zelda will do…"

Thadd knew that name from somewhere before, however the Hero had quickly waved goodbye to his friend and left his side before the older man could piece anything together. Leading their mounts from their reins, the two youths made their way up the small incline into the central part of town. Onlookers cast their attention to them as they began taking their wares indoors and removing their clothes from the washing lines, unsure of what they were seeing. They recognised Link, respected him for everything he had done for them, yet the presence of the woman at his side spoke volumes in her silence; she was smiling but held a nervousness that bubbled in her eyes.

The two passed under a small streetlamp and waved to Ivee as she cleared away the banners from outside the general store, nodding to Nack as he left his crops for the evening. Yet as Link veered his horse away from the cobbles in the dirt path and onto the wooden steps leading away from the town, the Princess grew perplexed, "Are we not visiting Purah this evening?"

He turned his eyes towards her, "Purah likes to go to bed early, so I thought that you would like to retire as well. U-Unless you wouldn't…"

Her giggle cut effectively silenced him. "It sounds like a perfect idea. Yet I do wonder where we are going; this isn't the inn…"

 _Hopefully it will be better_ , Link thought, but refrained from saying it aloud.

The two made their way towards the outskirts of town, passing between more modern homes made out of brightly shaped wooden cubes. The Princess allowed her Knight to take the lead as he took her past the homes, which only effectively added to her confusion. Crossing over a tucked away bridge, Zelda's eyes finally found a small cottage in the distance. It certainly wasn't as modern as the new homes, however she much preferred the simple cream colour scheme and uneven surfaces. Someone had taken care of the home in the Hero's absence for plumes of smoke still billowed out of the chimney and a warm glow seeped out from beneath the door.

"The locals don't lock their doors around here, especially now that the Calamity is gone," Link mused as the reached the front door. He pushed his hand through his hair, "You're welcome to go in." He passed her a smile as he offered to take the horses into the small side garden, hauling their saddles and bridles into the tiny shelter around the corner.

Whilst he was away, Zelda allowed herself to step inside, the warm air hitting her near instantly—though the relief was soon washed away by sheer awe. The Hero's home was so simple yet far more welcoming than any of the corridors in Hyrule Castle. Numerous lanterns hung from scaffolding, illuminating the oak table; two chairs neatly tucked in on either side. A hutch was filled with a wide array of bottles, spices and utensils; most of them housewarming gifts from the other residents. She noticed only one bed on the higher floor and wondered how they were both going to sleep, yet her thoughts were soon silenced when her eyes caught onto items hanging from the walls.

The Hero had hung certain weapons in his abode. Other than regular bows, swords, and shields, the Scimitar of the Seven, Daybreaker, the Lightscale Trident, the Great Eagle Bow, and the Rock Smasher—which had been given to him throughout his journey—all gleamed in the light.

Tears of joy and healing threatened to fall.

"Oh Link... this is wonderful..."

"The carpenters did an amazing job," a voice came from behind; startling her. She turned to find him resting against the door frame, a small smile lacing his features. When her eyes drifted to the mounted weapons, he added, "I didn't want to break their weapons; it would dishonour them and their villages. They insisted that I have them for my journey so I'll try and return them now that it is over, but if not I suppose once Hyrule Castle is rebuilt they can be formally honoured."

"I would like that, Link," she said with a smile. Remembering her manners, she removed her boots and wondered, "If I may be so bold, when did you find the time to buy a home?"

Link was relieved to hear no accusation in her voice but instead simple curiosity. Stripping off his own shoes, he straightened and clarified, "It wasn't too long after I woke up. Impa sent me to find Purah at the Tech Lab to help with my memory and the carpenters here were going to demolish it. I didn't want to see another place in ruins and, well, I wanted somewhere to feel like I hadn't left; during my journey and after." She smiled ruefully, causing them to lapse into a beat of silence. "Either way, I thought that you'd like somewhere quieter than the inn or the Tech Lab."

"You would be correct."

A small smile tugged at his lips moments before he realised something. For the first time since he awoke in the Shrine of Resurrection, he finally felt as if he had a place to call his own with no blanks in his memory to scream from the back of his mind. And now that Zelda was with him, he had never felt calmer.

That smile was still evident when he later asked, "So, what would my lady like to eat?"

Zelda insisted that she help in cooking despite how much Link wished for her to relax. He began to make a mushroom risotto for her, though within minutes they were sitting at the cooking pot together outside and adding extra ingredients to improve the flavour. The Hero had not only let her cook with him because she wished to, but also after months of being alone, having someone offer up their presence was shocking in a wonderful way.

By the time the two were ready to settle down, the Princess was directed to the small bed upstairs. However when she realised that his space to rest hadn't been made, she understood what was going on. "Link, you are not sacrificing your own bed for me in your own home." Resting her hands on the small balcony, she leaned over and catch his meek smile. "Please, Link. You don't have to sleep outside because of your duty."

"I really don't mind, Zelda," he said.

"However I do," she countered softly, then, "At least stay inside…"

He thought it over for a moment before sighing and relenting, "It is rather chilly tonight…" Her smile grew as he moved his blankets inside, still unhappy that he was sleeping on the floor yet she also knew that he was far too stubborn and prideful of his duty to go any further. Nonetheless, the smell of mushrooms lingered in the air of the warm home as they settled down, drifting off into a sleep that seemed to become less and less restless by the day.

* * *

The Hero awoke to the sound of off-key singing.

He groggily snapped his eyes open, finding it harder each day to be on alert now that Calamity Ganon had been vanquished; something that was still rather surreal to him. He thought that after spending most of his life in the barracks of Hyrule Castle and protecting the legend that was the Princess, he would be able to wake up instantly. Either it was the lasting effects of the Shrine of Resurrection or pure laziness, the habit of sleep was becoming harder to shake off.

But with such terrible singing, he was wrenched free from the hands of sleep quicker than ever.

The Princess wasn't asleep nearby. At first he was filled with a familiar sense of dread, though after a few moments he forced himself to calm down upon hearing her sweet voice outside. He sat up and suddenly became acutely aware of the small bead of drool slipping from the side of his mouth. That had also been happening more and more since he emerged from the Shrine of Resurrection. As he wiped it away and changed, Link could only pray that he hadn't been spotted drooling in his sleep; especially by his charge.

More than one habit was unshakeable, it seemed.

He slowly made his way down the steps and outside, instantly hit by cool spring air. The people of Hateno were already awake and beginning their daily routines even though the sun had only risen a few hours ago, some heading down to Firly Pond to clean their clothes while others set up their businesses and checked how their crops had fared through the night. It was such a simple life for them, especially now that Calamity Ganon was gone from the world for now, though Link could see himself living that sort of life—one without full knowledge of what was going on but one without the weight of the world on your shoulders.

 _"Would you have chosen a different path?"_

No. His path always lead to this...

 _"What if... one day... you realised that you just weren't meant to be a fighter?"_

 _You were always made to be a fighter_ , a voice muttered darkly. _And you failed at that too…_

"Link?" He was broken from his daze by the sound of a familiar voice. The Princess, who must have woken with the sun, was already fully dressed and sitting beside the cooking pot with Bolson. She beamed when their eyes met and patted the spot of grass beside her. Despite this, her eyes were pleading for him to help her. Bolson was dancing on the spot and the apparent cause of the singing.

The Hero still wasn't entirely sure that he was awake yet. A pinch didn't wake him from this dream, forcing him to conclude that this was somehow very real.  
" _With love, courage, and hopeful hearts, we give every house a new start~! That name is Bolson! Buh-buh-buh-Bol—_ " When he older man saw who had taken a seat beside Zelda, he immediately stopped, regarding the smiling Hylians. "W-Well there's enough of that for one morning..."

Thankfully breakfast hadn't been prepared, giving Zelda a perfect idea. After a few minutes of small talk with the carpenter, the Princess took her companion's hand without warning; giving the latter little time to hide how flustered he was. "Now that Link had risen, I believe we should go—we have a few old friends to meet and wouldn't want to be tardy. I do hope that you have a nice day, Mr. Bolson, and thank you again for keeping the house tidy."

"Oh, do they live in town?"

"Yes, they reside in the Tech Lab on the outskirts of Hateno."

He chortled, "You're friends with the yappy old woman up there? Whew, that's the first I've heard of that." The Princess raised a brow. "After the Calamity the people up there have kept to themselves; they may have even adopted but we have no idea. Bah, it doesn't matter. Have a good day yourselves." She shook the carpenter's hand and insisted on giving him some money for his efforts. Still a little unsure of who she was, Bolson accepted the money and allowed them to leave.

Once the two were far enough away from the carpenter, Zelda laughed breathlessly, "I was rather glad to see you awake. I don't think I could be so calm for the second verse." He smiled as she continued to pull him along by the hand. Realising that he may have been comfortable, she ended up grinding to a halt, " D-Did you prefer to stay there?"

"Far from it," he laughed. "I never want to be woken up by his singing again. I much prefer yours."

Her heart skipped a beat, "Y-You remember me singing…?" He hesitated for a moment before replying.

"A little… but I meant it as a compliment," he stammered before adding, "It was wonderful…"

The two lapsed into silence as the Hero was lead down the path and into the village, smiling and waving to those who greeted them. The village was already alive and full of activity, the morning fog slowly being forced away by the gentle breeze. Children and dogs were rushing about, almost knocking the two Hylians down as they went. They were all truly happy despite the darkness that plagued them for so long now.

No country could win every battle, but Hyrule's strength was in its people and their perseverance. They would always keep going no matter how many dark days befell them.

They both admired the strength of the people more than anything.

Link and Zelda made their way up the path leading to the Hateno Tech Lab, every stone lantern along the way lit by ancient flames; its brilliant blue hues casting shadows over the dew covered grass. They made little conversation as they went, hands still interlocked as they passed each of the torches lining their path. The Ancient Flames, ones which had been a major help during Link's journey, drifted in the breeze within the torches, cyan embers tumbling into the bright sky.

The Princess's nervousness became more and more apparent as they began their trek up the winding path leading to the Lab—one of the few left that wasn't in complete ruins. Whilst Link tried to comfort her, they both knew that her fears would cease once they arrived. The Ancient Furnace lit up more of the path as they grew closer, and Zelda realised that it hadn't changed much since she was last there 100 years ago. Other than the large telescope that had been constructed, it seemed as if time had stopped.

Much was the same with Hyrule as a whole.

As the reached the door, the Hero passed his charge a small smile of reassurance before heading on inside, only entering once she was ready.

The Hateno Tech Lab was just as messy as the both of them had last seen it, whether that be months or 100 years ago. Papers from varying research projects were strewn across the floorboards, each with different degrees of age. One of the few Guidance Stones left in Hyrule was situated off to the left, glowing a deep azure like the others atop the activated towers.

Purah's desk on the opposite side was littered with books and documents, seemingly placed there ages ago and swiftly forgotten about that. Symin, Purah's assistant, mused through the bookshelf at the back of the room, a young girl was poised over a large table in the middle of the room atop a thin stool.

The Princess cleared her throat to catch their attention, "Excuse me, but do you know where the director of this Lab is?"

Realising that Zelda didn't know about Purah's experiment, he said, "Oh Zelda, the director is—"

"Don't ruin the surprise!" the young girl cut in with a hand on her hip. "I was rather disappointed by your lack of reaction, so I want a good one on the second go." The Princess partially recognised her voice as the woman hopped off of the stool and made her way towards Zelda, sticking out a small hand; causing the older woman to kneel down. "You're looking at the director."

Recalling Bolson's words, Zelda chuckled as she shook the girl's hand, "You must be the girl they adopted... do you—?"

"Adopted?!" she snapped, "Is that what they think down there? Hylia save me..." Adjusting her glasses, she huffed loudly and said, "I didn't adopt anyone, Zelly."

The Princess's eyes widened; only one person ever called her that.

"P-Purah?!"

Purah grinned and cast her eyes to the Hero, snapping her fingers, "Now _that's_ the reaction I wanted!" Zelda was still dumbfounded as she met eyes with Purah again. She was similar to how Zelda had last seen her—quirky stance, round glasses, silver hair tied back into two buns atop the crown of her head—yet there was something that had blocked that recognition.

 _Perhaps it is the height_ , Zelda concluded. _Maybe—_

 _"Purah likes to go to bed early..."_

Zelda whirled around to her Knight, "You knew?!"

"Of course he did," Purah deadpanned, "He didn't try and warn you just because now, did he?" Hopping off the chair, she called for Symin to find some chairs for their guests. "Now before _you_ sit down," she added before Link took his seat, "You promised me 6 months ago to show Symin more about the Sheikah Sensor+ and you still haven't. While I talk with Zelly here, you can pop along and get around to doing it, can't you?"

He could say little before he was ordered out by a child.

The two ladies then spent the next few hours discussing Purah's dramatic change. Zelda was saddened that her friend had used herself as her own test subject, however the process of shaving off so many years of her life in a number of days was rather funny for the both of them. "But now that the Ancient Furnace is up and running again," Purah explained, "We can start working on a way to reverse… _this_."

"But won't that have a profound effect on your body?" Zelda asked, concern lacing her voice.

The young girl simply shrugged, "We won't know until we find out! And once we do, we'll live and learn. Just like with the Calamity. Speaking of which," she added, "what else have you found about Calamity Ganon?"

Zelda was taken aback by the question, "W-What do you mean?"

"Well it's not like that ball of gas isn't going to come back. Now that you and Linky have sorted out that mess, you can go back to your research on the Guardians and the Calamity like you were 100 years ago so we can be more prepared next time. I'm pretty sure he hasn't been that ball of gunk for his entire life."

Zelda fell silent, clasping her hands together, "I… we haven't had much time to conduct our previous research, Purah. With us attempting to find a stability in Hyrule after the Calamity, we simply haven't—"

"You mean, you didn't think about his past in terms of a way to prevent his return?"

"I…"

"Goddesses Zelly, you're far too easy to tease!" Purah cut in with a smirk, "I'm not going to criticise you after everything you've done for us!"

The Princess inwardly breathed a sigh of relief, "However you do put forward a good argument. If we can understand how and why he awoke again at this particular point, then we can help to prevent his return or at least protect Hyrule more…"

"Huh, maybe I still have a nack for things." Purah turned her attention to the work on the table beside them, "I mean if our anti-ageing technique works better on others than it did on me, then we have a fortified army. If we have the strength and alliance between each of the races we'll have political strength for alliances between other countries, and with your power and Link's power you'll be safe too. But if we don't know how he became the Calamity, then we can cut down the roots like we wanted to 100 years ago. Hopefully it can give us a better edge…"

Zelda lapsed into silence as she thought on Purah's words. She had an excellent point—Hyrule could have all of the physical and political strength possible, but Hyrule had been decimated for its lack of knowledge on Calamity Ganon, and any knowledge at all would provide the perfect solution to combating his frightening power.

She was still thinking on this as Link and Symin returned, the latter gushing away about the completed Hyrule Compendium as he asked to borrow the device for a few hours. Once Symin scurried off towards his desk, Link made his way back to his chair, instantly sinking into it. "And why do you think you're stopping there, Linky?" Purah demanded hotly. "I have other things for you to do while me and Zelly chat!"

"And of course I'll help," he replied with a laugh, "But my reawakening doesn't give you the opportunity to use me to finish your chores." Purah laughed hesitantly, thinking about what she had written in her diary once. When Link noted the complexion of his charge, he frowned, "Are you alright?"

The Princess snapped from her daze without warning, "Y-Yes of course, I was simply lost in thought." She lapsed back into her train of thought as Purah began to relay a long list of jobs for the Hero to do, thinking more on what they were discussing previously.

And as Link was ushered out of the Lab for the second time of many, Zelda resolved to find out more on the man before he became the Calamity that killed her friends, her Father, her Kingdom, and in the end the man she loved.

She had to know why.

"I preferred it when he didn't talk," Purah muttered as she slumped back into her seat, "He wasn't a wind-up merchant then." Then she spotted the shine in the Hylian's eyes and grinned. "So, where do we start?"

* * *

The days passed with relative ease. With Purah forcing chores onto Link as much as possible, it allowed her and Zelda to look into all the information that they could on the past of Calamity Ganon. Whilst very little could be found, they generated what theories they could and worked long into the night. And with a telepathetic connection of sorts with Riju, they could find a way to prove or disprove their ideas.

Link and Zelda had invited Purah and Symin back to their small abode on the third evening, however they all decided to spend the day there instead. Although Purah had to sneak around the villagers, the day was calm and peaceful. Whilst Symin made more notes on the Sheikah Slate and Purah read through their notes, Link had spent the day cooking to help continue Zelda's studies on the effects of food; which the latter had specifically asked for, though he didn't know that it was so she could take her mind away from the Calamity for a while.

By the time the sun had dipped beneath the horizon, the Hero stepped outside to ask his charge if she wanted to join him as he allowed Purah to cook; something which was becoming more and more humorous to watch. Link bumped the door shut with his hip and made his way into the small garden beside the home, catching the Princess's figure sitting on the edge of the cliff.

And yet, as he slowed a few steps behind her, his small bout of confidence melted away. She stood on the cliff edge, staring out into the beautiful orange sky. The sun highlighted her form, reminding of the moments that the two spent together at Sanidin Park before trekking towards the Spring of Wisdom.

"It is hard to believe that this village was one of the most devastated by the awakening of Calamity Ganon," she mused, her tone lighter than air; she had become lost in her memories. "Urbosa once told me that Ganon was once a Gerudo, which is logically why she took his awakening personally. In the Gerudo language, his name translates to 'king,' an honorary name in their language. With that name he should have been destined for greatness..."

The Hero knew that there was little anyone could do whilst she was in such a state, so he kept silent as he came to stand within a few feet of her.

"And yet the ban on the presence of voe within the Gerudo capital had already been in place for centuries after the victory of the Hero of Time," she continued softly, and Link finally noticed a thick tome cradled in her arm; partially hidden by her figure. "I understand why they refused men—after all their last King had been corrupt and generations after them were simply conducting the will of their sisters—however the Gerudo voe that were left had been forgotten." She laughed darkly, "But then again, I cannot blame other races for my failure..."

He went to say something, anything at all, only for her to cut in before he could try.

"It's quite alright, Link. You need not coddle me." The Princess wrapped her arms around her waist, "Riju told me of the notes she had written on the tomes of her ancestor, sister Aveile… She dealt with a man named Ganon at the time—a rumoured leader of a resistance against the voe ban. He and many other Gerudo voe had began a revolt against the Gerudo rules. It has to have been him…"

She began to shake, to which the Hero quickly helped her down onto the ground, unable to hold back. Making sure that he kept her space whilst also making sure that she was comfortable. "He wanted more power than he could handle—it isn't your fault."

Zelda merely curled closer into his form, "He most likely desired the power to overcome the Gerudo which abandoned him… and the only power that could have been his answer was an ancient form of chaos locked away within the Sheikah clan—a minute form of the great Calamity. Not only would it destroy the Gerudo, but also anyone else who wished to belittle him." She clasped her quaking hands. "We had excavated the Guardians at this point and knew that chaos was on the horizon, yet by the time Ganon had claimed the power he was too filled with the rage of the Calamity from 10,000 years ago to only attack the Gerudo—he wanted to destroy them and all those who had stopped him last time."

Ignoring his strict mind, Link silently stroked her hair.

"For 100 years all I could feel was that hate… I was fighting him with every ounce of hope and strength within me, yet I could still feel the storm that he held within," she sniffed, "He hated me for so many reasons—for my heritage, for my status, for simply having people who cared. And he despised you too… you could go anywhere you desired without a moment of hesitation even when you were protecting me. I felt that fury for the past 100 years and I… I _never_ want to feel that again…"  
"You won't, Zelda… you won't…"

"But we don't know that!"

He sighed, "We don't know if he'll _never_ come back, but I know that he won't come back within this lifetime. When I first woke up I could feel his presence so strongly no matter how far from the Castle I was, but now I can't feel him at all. You did it, Zelda, and there is no chance that I will allow you to ever suffer like that again…"

A tiny smile tugged at her lips, "You always have been protective of me…"

"You have to be when your charge wanders off to research the ancient technology."

She smiled, but it was more forced this time, "I'm sorry, Link… you've tried your hardest to make me feel welcome here again and all I've done is moan and cry…"

"You are healing," he protested, "And I have been far from a walk in the park myself recently."

Zelda choked back a sob, "I-If Calamity Ganon ever comes back…"

"Zelda, please…"

"Please don't leave me again…" She finally met his gaze, "After all that you've done, 100 years ago and now… I can't lose you again… I care about you too much." He simply pressed his lips to the crown of her head, and enough was said. The Princess laughed lightly as she wiped her tears away, "I apologise… we did not want to be plagued by this any longer. I apologise…"

"Don't apologise, Zelda," he murmured, "The only way to be freed of this pain is by letting it go, and the more you talk about it, the quicker that will happen…"

She smiled and hugged him tighter.

They stayed there like that for a while, basking in the fading light until they were forced apart by a resounding _crash_.

The two broke apart and rose to their feet as the front door opened, revealing a laughing Symin and a sheepish Purah; her already white hair covered in icing sugar. In her arms was a small plate of cake; the icing sloppy and most of the fruit on top tumbling down the side. They all began to laugh as the small Sheikah plopped down beside them, placing the plate into Zelda's lap with a simple, "I think Linky has a mess to clean up."

Despite the accident, he felt no irritation whatsoever.

Picking up the fork, the Princess asked, "Did you make this for me?"

"As much as I'd want to take credit for it, we all joined up to try and make you feel less stressed, and this one here told me that it was your favourite," she explained, nudging her way onto the Hero's lap to claim it. "Linky cooked it, do I'm sure it'll taste better than it looks but we all did it!"

Once Zelda realised what they had made for her, her eyes welled up with tears of joy that never fell. It was her favourite fruitcake, a dessert that she had loved ever since she was a child and was renowned for loving it. No matter how she felt, she would always eat it down in the kitchen. She loved Cook so much, and every time they met it was most likely between a slab of fruitcake as they worked on meals and duties.

"Oh Zelly, don't cry!" Purah pouted, "Linky, you said this would make her feel better!"

"No, no," she whispered as she took a bite, savouring the incredible array of flavours and memories that burst into her mouth; the sweetness of the berries, the fluffy texture of the cake, all drawn together by the soft icing. Of course it didn't look perfect, but to her it was. "It's wonderful…" They smiled with relief. "But I cannot be the only person to enjoy this," she added after a moment, "Surely you made enough for all of you?"

Purah snorted, "We did, but with the state of the kitchen right now, I wouldn't want to go in there…"

Link leaned back into his hands, "My Mother used to tell me that if I made a mess then i had to clean it up, so tonight it's all on you, Purah."

"But it's your house," she whined. He laughed lightly.

"But not my mess." He glanced down to her, spotting her big brown eyes. Pointing at her, he sighed, "I feel like you've been using those puppy dog eyes on me for more than these past few days."

She leaped to her feet and grabbed onto Link's hand, almost causing him to fall backwards, "Nope, I've been using them ever since I first met your silent self! Now come on, that mess won't clean itself!" He allowed himself to be dragged away from his charge, and moments later Symin offered her in from the cooling night. They both wore soft smiles as they made their way back, the Princess still eating.

"She's really missed this, you know," he mentioned out of the blue.

"What do you mean?"

"This sort of freedom. She was locked up in the Lab long before I met her, and even if she sometimes ventured out, I think she gave up on freedom ever since the Calamity," Symin explained, "I mean on the day that Link came to the Lab for the first time, she completely changed. And now that the both of you are back and Calamity Ganon no longer threatens us, she can finally live…" He smiled at her, "Like her, we're glad to see the both of you alive."

Her lips parted, "Thank you, Symin…" Zelda breathed, "That means the world to me…"

He simply smiled in response, glad to have lifted the Princess's spirits some.

And her spirits remained lifted as they helped Link and Purah with the catastrophe that had landed in the former's home; thankfully nothing spattering over the weapons of the Champions. Although they had found out more about Calamity Ganon prior to his second awakening; and the fear of more men being consumed and adding to its rage strong in her heart; both Link's comfort and the combined efforts of making her favourite dessert left something in the empty void of her heart that resonated out. There was still so much to do, but at least she was no longer alone.

 _Then again, I suppose I was never alone._

Their scars would always exist, but with others at their side, nothing; not even Calamity Ganon; could take everything from them ever again.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Phew, there's a mammoth chapter for you! I really hope that it lived up to expectation! It was rather hard to write Purah, so now I understand the hardship of writers recently when it has come to writing her; I really hope that I haven't made her childish, but I always saw her as acting a bit more like a child than she should. Oh, and the hanging of the Champion's weapons wasn't my idea. I first read it in Lyxie's story: Throne of Nothing, and after using it in my game and it appearing in many other stories, I just had to put it in here.

Either way I really hope that you enjoyed it, and next time (whenever that is aha) we'll be taking a visit to Hyrule Castle unless I get some requests that really inspire me! :3

Also the chapter name is based around the French version (as I'm learning it right now aha), so has anyone else seen the game in other languages? Or will you do so when the DLC comes out?

~RandomButLoved~


	7. Throne of Nothing

_**Author's Note:**_ Not too long of a break this time, though that's mainly because I was really excited for this chapter and I'm breaking up for study leave tomorrow so I won't really have any more time to spend on this. Either way I've been wanting to do this chapter from the start and it certainly isn't perfect, but I'm rather proud of it at the moment!

 _ **Guest Reviews:**_ **Guest:** Thank you! I want them to kiss as much as you do, I promise, but I'm glad that you like the build :3

 **Guesty (chapter 3, 4, 5, 6):** Oh thank you so so much! And I love writing Impa so much :3 And that's such a sweet name for your horse; Hateno really does feel like home! Writing Zelda and her father was actually rather difficult, so I'm glad that it paid off. And don't worry; all of us love it when our characters have breakdowns; we like to see that emotion, or we're just all weird aha. And that's okay about being rushed; don't worry! Thank you so much for the lovely reviews!

 **Kathryn:** Thank you! And as soon as I read your review I realised what you meant; thank you, though, as I've gone back and changed that. Phew, thank you for telling me! :)

 **Guest:** Thank you!

 **Guest:** Oh wow thank you ever so much! I really have tried with Link and Zelda because, as you say, stories can seem to make them ooc (which is all open to interpretation, but I'd like them to have a little fun as well as struggle, y'know?), so to hear that has made me day! And I certainly will! Have you got any memories in particular that you'd like me to look at?

 **Guest:** Thank you very much! It really did, so I love writing about it! :3 And at the moment I just want it to be an adventure/romance with no main storyline/villain (other than the Yiga, maybe, but I'm not quite sure), so at the moment I'm completely open to how this story will go! Oh thank you!

 _ **Beyond**_

 _Seven: Throne of Nothing_

~O~

They had put off this journey for far too long.

Almost a year had passed since the fall of Calamity Ganon, and yet both the Hero and the Princess had been ignoring the decayed ruins of Hyrule Castle and Castle Town ever since they had left the area on the day of the Calamity's defeat. They had built up a reputation with the locals too, always helping without giving up their true identities. This made for a convenient excuse for the both of them to constantly avoid the main problem in Hyrule; the future of Castle Town and the Castle itself.

And yet, after another brief visit to Kakariko Village, the Sheikah Elder had finally given them one last push. _"It matters not when you decide to take up residence within the Castle again, if at all,"_ she had clarified, _"However it must be done. Hyrule cannot completely move on until the fate of Castle Town and the Castle is at least assessed."_

For Zelda, she knew deep down that she wasn't ready to return to the place that she had been imprisoned in for the past 100 years and was steadfast in refusing Impa's offer of returning. For Link, he was both protective of his charge and also refused to return to a place filled with so many memories whilst he was still in a fragile state. Though after much discussion and Impa's own stubbornness, Link and Zelda had no choice but to relent.

The time to face their past had arrived.

They left not long after the sun rose, beginning the nine hour trek from Kakariko Village towards Hyrule Castle Town. Despite the mid morning rain, they made their way through the Duelling Peaks, through the ruins of Gatepost Town, and finally past the ruins of Hyrule Garrison, turning away from the main path until they reached the Sacred Ground Ruins around mid afternoon.

The rain and fog had long since cleared, revealing the true beauty of the ruins. Whilst many of the pillars surrounding the small area had been gravely damaged over the past 100 years, the Triforce insignia carved into the stone had only been partially damaged. Water still gushed around the main platform, beads of water that washed over the moss and overgrowth sparkling in the sunlight.

With a perfect view of what was waiting before them, the two allowed their horses to rest nearby after their long journey. Taking a seat on the edge of the platform, the Princess removed her shoes and allowed her feet to dip into the cool water—quickly permitting her Knight to take a seat beside her once she realised that he hadn't moved.

"I recall when we rehearsed the ceremony to appoint you as the Hylian Champion," Zelda mused as they ate, "The others were there too, garbed in blue with their prized weapons. You all knelt before me right here with more dedication than I had imagined. We had all met before that moment, of course, but all of you omitting Urbosa still felt like strangers to me. I wasn't sure if this union would work…" She sighed ruefully, "I am glad that it did."

Returning to the Sacred Grounds Ruins was a bizarre experience for the both of them. Whilst it brought back sensations of lost hope and old friendship, Link only had two distinct memories of the place—the first in an Era long forgotten when he was first formally appointed as the Princess's Knight, and the other less than a year ago during his survey of Hyrule Castle Town when the memory was returned to him.

 _"Gee, this is uplifting..."_

The Hero couldn't help but smile at the memory as he rose to his feet and began weaving between the broken pillars, the memory suddenly at the forefront of his mind. The tension between him and his charge was palpable, even to the other Champions, simply the barrier created by class and duty wedging a spiked wall between them. And with Zelda's insecurities and "failings" constantly laid bare, no comfort was allowed between the two—only making the barriers harder to break.

He slowed into a halt a few paces behind Zelda, regarding the silhouette of Hyrule Castle looming in the distance. Like the two of them, the Castle still stood tall despite its wear and tear; still radiating a small amount of hope that kept the people going. It was a rather uplifting sight to see, yet the memories that also lay in wait did very little to keep their spirits up.

Not only did they finally have to face their fears and return to the place that caused them so much pain, but they also had to begin some sort of reconstruction on Castle Town—and that couldn't commence until they had seen the damage.

Zelda had seen the damage for the past 100 years, however she knew deep down that she could not run from her ghosts forever.

"Let us be off," the Princess said without warning, "We cannot stay here forever, not with the afternoon fading."

"Are you positive that you are ready, Zelda?" Link questioned after a pause.

She laughed nervously and glanced over her shoulder as she stood, "Are you?" She smiled when he hesitated, almost startled by the question; it wasn't him that needed to be prepared for the path ahead. "I am not positive that I am ready, however if we fail to do this now, I fear that we shall never come here for a long time."

He simply nodded, unsure of what to say, and the two allowed their horses to stay behind and graze.

The walls around Hyrule Castle Town had barely survived the onslaught 100 years ago, decayed Guardians—now no longer under Calamity Ganon's influence—slumped over the rubble. Somehow a few tapestries outside the gates still swung limply in the breeze, surviving just like the rest of Hyrule had. The only sound one could hear was that of the horses' hooves and the breeze and the Princess and her appointed Knight approached, still on edge despite the lack of evil tarring the land.

With deep breaths and exchanging resolved glances, Link and Zelda passed through the open gates, stepping over the threshold between them and Hyrule Castle for the first time since the day of Calamity Ganon's defeat.

The sun cast long shadows through the entrance to the town, highlighting the intricate designs sculpted into the stone. Ganon's Malice had completely faded from the ruins, revealing the damage left to each area. The top street was devoid of any buildings, instantly sending ice into the Princess's gut. It used to be filled with life, passersby strolling down the roads with baskets of food and items.

For a fraction of a moment, Zelda was sure that she heard the voices of the dead going about their once daily business.

She snapped back when she felt Link's hand on her arm, smiling up at him. Steeling her courage, the Princess made her way on ahead first, crossing over wooden boards before the steps onto the next level of the town. Her eyes found the posts holding more tapestries above her, her stomach twisting at how bent and near broken they were.

The chaos continued as the clouds began to merge together, darkening the skies drastically. One of the major watchtowers only had its foundations remaining—much like many of the other buildings surrounding them. More ethereal voices as well as distant sounds of bands reached both of their ears this time, growing louder as the two picked up their pace towards the Central Square; a place that once held the most activity was now as silent as the rest of the ruins around them.

Hyrule Castle Town had become a graveyard; a ghost town.

Zelda tested the weight of the fountain lip before taking a seat, her boot catching on a rusty broadsword and shield; it must have been discarded 100 years ago during the attack. She averted her eyes, feeling a little sick at the sight. On the plaque beside her, words beneath the cracked Hylian Crest read, _'On this day the King of Hyrule opened this structure to the public.'_

She turned her attention to the three bird figures atop the fountain, "Do you remember meeting me a few nights before we set out for Sanidin Park?" Link took a few moments before sitting on the other side of the plaque, shaking his head lightly. "It wasn't long after we had returned from the Spring of Courage and my father scolded me…"

 _"You are the heir to a throne of nothing, nothing but failure."_

His words bit hard even after 100 years.

The Princess shook her head free of the thoughts, "I had locked myself away in my chambers for prayer; even you weren't allowed inside. I must have been in there for at least three days…" He watched her with concern, making her chuckle lightly, "You wore that expression back then as well."

He smiled but said nothing; slightly conscious of his expression.

"I asked Purah, who was fulfilling research with Robbie at the time, to slip you a note in passing; a note inviting you to meet me here that night. I wasn't sure if you would actually come," she added breathlessly.

"Why not?"

Clasping her hands in her lap, she said, "Even after everything, I thought that you would be mad for the way I reacted to my scolding." A smile graced her lips, "Yet you came. I asked you to lead me onto the outer walls of the town, and it was there that I asked you something rather selfish." Zelda swallowed thickly, "We were making preparations to visit the Spring of Wisdom, yet I wished to visit Sanidin Park before we left. My mother loved it, you see; I hoped to go there before everything changed…"

He paused, then, "And we did. I remember going with you."

"I was rather surprised that you accepted with such sincerity without knowing my reasoning."

He smiled hesitantly, "I wouldn't have refused a charge… or a companion."

The two talked about the memory for a few moments before the woman sighed heavily, "I suppose we should move on…"

"Are you sure?"

She laughed, "As I said before, I am not sure of the decision, but it must happen." Nodding, Link and Zelda rose from the fountain and forced themselves onward. The sun was dipping beneath the horizon now, casting a wide array of oranges across the sky between the dark clouds. As the light streamed in between the spires of Hyrule Castle, so too did the anxiety between the Hero and Princess.

The gates leading into the Castle were still tightly shut, for last time Link slipped into the Castle via the underground tunnels near the Lockup. Zelda took a step forward and forced the gates open with her magic, finally having some semblance of control over the place she was trapped within for so long. Dust flew up as the gates groaned open to reveal the silent, damaged path before them. Link's heart began to pound against his chest at the sight of so many Guardian shells littering the path—his age-old instincts still telling him to stay extra vigilant.

To say that he wasn't looking forward to their trek through the ruins either was to say the least.

The hardest part began now.

Their boots clicked against the dusty stone as Link and Zelda made their way up the winding path; decayed Guardians lining the pathway. Trees once full of life now barely clung to the ground, somehow living on through it all. Passing beneath the heavily damaged Observation Balcony, memories of watching carriages bearing ambassadors from other countries glide up the paved road hit her hard. Those were back in the days when both of her parents were still alive, long before Calamity Ganon usurped the land and subjugated it for 100 years.

For a moment, Link caught his charge smiling.

Instead of heading straight to the Sanctum via the main path, however, but decided to explore the interior to examine more of the damage. Slipping into a doorway to their right, the Princess and her Knight helped each other through two sets of wooden barricades with Cryonis before climbing a long set of steps and steering off to the right.

The corridor was draped in shadow, the dying sunlight barely slipping in through the windows. High arched ceilings were cracked though still standing tall, plush carpets over the stone now matted and crushed down with age. Zelda's breath stilled as she finally stood in her Castle in person; heat forming behind her eyes at the disarray her home was left in.

Now that the Malice spread across the Castle had been eradicated, they were able to take a shortcut through the Castle through the entryway to the Observation Room. Zelda smiled as they passed, reminded of the meeting with her father and the rest of the Champions. _"I could not be prouder as your father and as the last King of Hyrule."_ The Princess's hand subconsciously brushed over the velvet sofas pushed up against the walls, not noticing Link as he scanned the room himself, slowing into a stop before a clawed painting hanging above a statue of a previous Knight.

One day, long after he was gone, there would be a stoic statue to commemorate him. When he was younger, he probably looked up at them in awe and fascination, yet now he only stared into the voids of a previous Knight with a knot in his throat.

Did he look like that too 100 years ago? Even now?

A faint echo of marching buzzed in his ears, the ghosts of previous Knights setting him on edge.

"Are you alright?" a voice came from behind.

"Please don't do this for me," he said without turning to her, "If it is necessary, then hide it away from their eyes. I don't want to be presented like this…"

A petite hand rested lightly on his shoulder, "I won't, Link. You have my word."

The Hylian Princess guide her Knight out of the chamber, entering a thin corridor where a tunnel off to the right had collapsed years ago. She took the lead as she lit the torches along the way, inspecting the broken pillars lining each of the walls. Them and other pictures between the stone arches had managed to survive, but barely. Hylian Crests which used to hang from the pillars now lay crumpled on the ground, something with both Link and Zelda found darkly representative of the onslaught.

Once they reached the top of the cracked staircase, a strange sense of longing and familiarity panged through Zelda's heart at the doorway off to the side. Turning to her Knight, she asked, "May we…?"

"Of course."

Without hesitation, she stepped into the Dining Hall, instantly taken aback by the memories which returned to her—a feeling which didn't occur within her companion.

It was just as cavernous as before, although had been a home for Calamity Ganon's guards over the years. Bookshelves and red velvet sofas still lined the walls, however those were the only pieces of furniture left in tact. The large mahogany table that she spent years sitting at with her parents and foreign dignitaries was now cleanly sliced in two, half eaten, mostly rotting food left by the creatures.

She couldn't help but sneer, "Monsters…" under her breath.

Red paint covering the high-arched ceilings was now cracked and damaged, dark chandeliers barely hanging from their chains. The Princess followed the edge of the room, her fingers brushing over ripped tapestries and cracked bricks as she went. Link stayed behind, simply studying her from the doorway.

If he ignored his previous experiences of sneaking through Hyrule Castle in this Era, he could almost hear nobles giggling and chinking their drinks together for a toast. Closing his eyes, he could almost hear servants bustling about outside whilst the fireplace roared inside. No matter how many laughs or arguments occurred at the large table, all of it had been destroyed in the space of a few hours—nothing more, nothing less.

His eyes snapped open when he overheard his charge humming a sweet tune to herself.

"Wait," Link breathed suddenly, catching Zelda's attention, "I… I know that song…"

Her eyes lit up, "What do you remember?"

The Knight rested against the wall as his eyes lost focus, "It was night, I think. I can…" He closed his eyes as Zelda approached him; a smile tugging at his lips. "I can hear the voices of the other Champions and that song. You were smiling too…"

"I know the night you are recalling," she breathed, glad to finally see him remembering something positive after the recollection of his parents' deaths. Opening his eyes, the Hero met her gaze evenly. "It was the night before we set out for Sanidin Park and the Spring of Wisdom. My father had left me to host a dinner for the other Champions to show our solidarity before Calamity Ganon's inevitable return."

Link nodded slightly, sights and sounds passing through the back of his mind, "I remember eating with you?"

"Yes," she replied, trying to hold back her excitement, "As you were a Champion too, my father allowed you to dine with us unless something came to pass. It was a rather tense and formal affair—I don't believe you talked at all, nor did the rest of us in all honesty—however Urbosa offered us all Gerudo wine; it is far more potent than any other drink in Hyrule."

He smirked, "I can see where this is heading…"

The Princess's smile grew, "I suppose it was rather logical." She paused in reminiscence, "You had a drink out of politeness, yet you refused any more as a "just in case" measure. I had less in case my father found me after a few too many, though the others were rather… merry." They both chuckled at the sight; they could see Urbosa and Daruk being merry, but not quite Revali. "There was a small band in there, so we asked if they could play something more jovial, and so…"

Without warning, Zelda jumped onto her feet and took the Knight's hands into her own. He raised a brow in confusion, "Zelda?"

"It took everyone to convince you, however we all got you to join us." Tugging him into the middle of the room, she placed one hand on his side and held the other; instructing him to do the same. The Hylian Princess smiled softly at the sparkle of surprise and remembrance in his eyes, "I think it took us both a while to stop being on edge, however once that threshold was crossed, we simply kept going…"

The two began to make their way around the room, keeping light on their toes as Zelda attempted to replicate that night. It wasn't long before they slowed before the empty fireplace as Link began to remember more and more of that night, losing his focus on the present as the past swept up to claim him. And yet, contrary to many of the memories that he had remembered over the past year, this one left him with a breathless smile on his face the entire bout of recollection.

"It was the happiest I had been amongst you all," he breathed.

"It was a wonderful evening…"

He shook his head, "Not because of that." The Hero met her eyes, "Because you were happy too. Despite everything that had gone wrong, you were still happy."

She embraced him tightly, "In that moment, everything was perfect. Of course that moment quickly ended, but that night… I would not have exchanged it for anything else."

Without breaking apart, he asked, "What happened after?"

"We returned to my chambers…" She broke out into a giggling fit at how quickly his eyes widened and his cheeks flushed. "I jest, Link. Nothing happened," she added breathlessly, "We simply returned to my room and talked—about our younger days, aspirations for after the Great Calamity was defeated."

Calming down, he wondered, "And what were our aspirations?"

"Well I would later inherit the throne and govern Hyrule, and you told me that you would stay at my side no matter what happened," she clarified, "Has that stayed the same for you?" His smile spoke volumes. Before he could ask her if her intentions of ruling Hyrule had stayed the same, the Princess had risen to her feet and added, "Let us move on, shall we?"

Exiting the Dining Hall, Link and Zelda followed the cobbled path over a tiny bridge and back up onto the main path leading to the Sanctum. And yet, instead of making their way towards that fated place, the two had decided long before that there was another place that warranted a visit before they left—and with the Malice no longer clinging to the ground or high walls, Link and Zelda were free to make their way there.

Passing over a small bridge, the two clambered up the steps beside the first Gatehouse; following the staircase up to a small yard. While the latter had few of his memories, Zelda was barraged with happier memories where the skies were constantly blue, the servants were given longer breaks in the summer to enjoy the sun, and times when she got to know her Knight more and more; the sight of her tower ahead bringing warmth to her heart.

However, every time she blinked her eyes the barren courtyard returned; the small bandstand had been completely demolished in Calamity Ganon's attack on the Castle along with the once lush green grass now nothing but mud and decaying Guardians.

She had to stop in order to give herself a moment.

The Princess took the lead once she had recovered, speeding up and ignoring the Guardian shells as she raced towards the familiar staircase on the opposite side of the courtyard. Link began to run after her, part of his age-old instincts of protection catching up to him as his eyes flickered between each of the empty Guardian Turrets which whirred with life only months ago; the other part of his instincts forcing him to move out of concern for his companion.

Link kept a few paces behind as the Princess turned one last corner at the top of the flight of stairs, slowing as her bedchambers opened out before her eyes. The normal entrance had been blown apart; only leaving a part of the stone door frame left; a sentiment of the entire room—destroyed, yet somehow still standing. The Knight kept himself towards the entrance as his charge slowly crossed through the room, her hand delicately touching the century-old furniture.

He could see her eyes clouding over with remembrance, though she seemed to come back to reality for enough blips of time to not lose herself.

Recalling what room was above her bedchambers, Link allowed Zelda to have her time by making his way over to the ruined staircase and beginning to try and make a way up to the Princess's study.

Meanwhile Zelda hadn't noticed his movement, for she was lost in her memories too much to care. She spent a long time at her desk tucked away in the corner, notes still connected by age-old string; ideas and concepts about the ancient machines that later ravaged her Kingdom strung up on the wall. Her eyes did find her diary, however instead of reading it she tucked it away into her bag for later—the Zelda who had wrote that had no idea what was coming, and the Princess wasn't sure if she could read her previous naivety in black and white just yet.

Casting her eyes over to the large bookcase lining the wall—one which actually stored very few tomes in it now—she forced herself away from her desk. The original main entrance had been blocked by rubble, confining her into a small area like the time she had spent fighting Calamity Ganon; yet this place bore more emotional pain than ever before.

Her plush seat and footrest beside the fireplace were still somewhat intact as well as her vanity and armoire in one corner of the room as well as her changing screen in the other. The same, however, couldn't be said for her bed. Either during the battle 100 years ago or after, all four posters of her bed had collapsed, causing the wooden canopy to go with it. Memories of her mother and father tucking her in at night when she was younger came flooding back, the phantom sensation of her hair being pulled back pricking hot tears at the edges of her eyes.

So many nights in those last months before Ganon's return, she would stare up towards the roof of her bed; wondering what the next day would bring. She had no time to be in the present—her mind was constantly in the future.

And now she would never sleep in that bed again.

She knew that the pain of this journey would be horrid, but never this much…

So when a voice caught her attention, Zelda thanked the Goddesses. "Zelda?" She turned towards his voice. "I, um, cleared a pathway to your study…"

She forced a smile and crossed the room to meet him. "Thank you, Link."

He didn't ask if she was alright; he knew that she wasn't and didn't want the embarrassment of being questioned.

The two made their way up their way up the broken spiralling staircase—it wasn't much but it worked for what they wanted—and once Link was able to climb up onto the top level, he helped his charge up into the top portion of the tower, sunlight streaming through the caved in wall. Climbing a few steps, the Princess and her appointed Knight crossed the bridge into the largest, yet still partially damaged, tower in the grounds—Zelda's study.

It was quiet and quaint, her desk and walls were covered in various pieces of parchment which had faded over time—designs of each type of Guardian still somewhat visible on the page. The shutters had flown open, letting in the cool air to jostle the papers; giving the two air to breathe in this confined space.

And just off to the right, a wild Silent Princess was flourishing.

Zelda tested the wooden chair before planting herself on it, her eyes falling onto the journal before her.

"I spent so many hours in here," she murmured as Link rested against the leaned wall—knocking aside some rubble. "Ever since I was a child, I was fascinated by the ancient technology of this land… my father once encouraged me to research the topic. It was only when the prophecy began to come into fruition that the sight of my research angered him. I cannot blame him, however back then I was ready to yell at him."

"I almost spoke my mind myself," the Hero muttered off to the side, though was loud enough for his charge to catch it.

"What do you mean?"

He hesitated for a moment before casting his gaze to the entryway of her study, "We had just returned from the Spring of Courage when your father scolded you for your lack of efforts." She hummed at the memory. "Of course it wasn't my place to say anything, but I was desperate to tell him how hard you were working and protect you from his harsh words. I have always seen his perspective, though in that moment I was desperate to speak my mind more than anything."

 _"They see you as a failed Princess,"_ King Rhoam's voice invaded her thoughts. _"Irresponsible and incapable of fulfilling her destiny."_

She smiled sadly, "I understood as well. He was desperate to protect our people, and for that I give him no blame. His actions weren't always right, but his intentions were."

"You're wiser than you give yourself credit for."

"And you are far too kind."

The two spent hours in the study space, looking over old research notes and—after Purah pushing them to conduct more research on Calamity Ganon on the Guardians—stowed any which were helpful away into their packs. The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon as they left, making their way back down the partially ruined staircase and returning to the main path, finally following it all the way to the summit of the Castle grounds.

The way into the Sanctum was still open as the Princess arrived with her Hero, a Hylian Crest shattered against the floor, the both of them momentarily lost in their memories; ones of a fight finally won, others of a lifetime lost in the confinements of that very place.

Without hesitation, they stepped inside together.

The Sanctum was as hauntingly beautiful as it was before Calamity Ganon destroyed it.

The gaping hole in the floor from Calamity Ganon's attack was still present, the Triforce insignia that once decorated the ground now a pile of rubble in the abyss beneath the Sanctum. Despite this, the rest of the Sanctum was only mildly damaged—something which surprised them both. The crimson carpets were frayed at the edges and stuffed with dust, chunks of stone missing from pillars and staircases, however tapestries still swung in the light breeze and Triforces were carved into the high walls; royal halberds crossed above them.

It was still standing.

Open arches outlined the edge of the chamber, somehow all of them and each of the four exits were still intact, holding up the entire Sanctum with ease. Bright orange light streamed in from the high arched windows on either side of the chamber, enveloping the Sanctum in an ethereal glow. Curved stairways were mirrored and crumbling at the edges, though what seemed to catch their eyes the most was the Hylian Crest and Triforce insignia which stood tall above them.

"After all of this time," Zelda whispered. "It still stands…"

"Just like you," Link said unconsciously.

The Princess gingerly stepped forward, viridian eyes fixed on the sun illuminated Triforce statue, memories of a time never forgotten hitting her with less force this time. This place held few bad memories, for it was just a room for attending large gatherings between neighbouring Kingdoms and holding audiences with her subjects when her father was too busy with his own work.

Whilst she made her way towards the carpeted stairs off to the left, Link seemed to remember the extravagant parties that the royals would host here. He and many others—some names were on the tip of his tongue, but he just couldn't remember them—stood watch around the parameters of the Sanctum. Haughty giggles and the clinking of glasses rung in his mind, his eyes fluttering shut for a moment as the image of the invited guests spilling out onto the cobbles outside determined to be remembered.

He somehow also could bring to mind how some of the more intoxicated women would try to sweet talk the other guards away from their posts, though they were refused almost every time; though Link had never accepted, for his eyes were always on the miserable Princess, constantly wishing that she would have a more enjoyable life.

That wish took more than 100 years to come into fruition.

The Hero quickly followed his Princess, eyes wary of the Guardians that were lodged in the ceiling as he went. His heart began to pound rapidly as the wave of sensations that he hadn't felt in this Era coursed through his veins. At first he was unsure at why these feelings were hitting him now when he had already come to the Sanctum before in this Era. Then he realised that he was so focused on defeating Calamity Ganon and saving Zelda as well as being fuelled by adrenaline and the power of the blade in his hand that he wasn't able to focus on where he actually was.

Nonetheless he trailed his charge as she wandered toward the back of the chambers, her eyes still locked on the statue of the Hylian Crest as she slowed down a few feet from it. It was long before her eyes found the singular throne beneath it, the golden trimmed seat overlooking the Sanctum with the same authority as it did 100 years ago—although the lack of presence from her father deepened the void in her heart.

Without hesitation, she carefully placed herself atop the throne, fingers curling around the armrests.

The weight of the world rested heavily on her shoulders for a fragment of time, yet after that she finally felt the control that she had been craving for over the past century. The Princess expected it to grow heavier, but the fact that she was finally in control of her Kingdom again—even if her subjects didn't properly know that yet—meant that another major part of her destiny had been completed.

Her Diamond Circlet gleamed in the sunlight.

Link knelt down on one knee before her, making her laugh nervously. "Oh Link, please…"

He chuckled and effectively cut her off. "Welcome back, Your Grace."

"You know I despise such a title."

"Ah," he said without raising his head. "I have few memories of you telling me that." She laughed lightly, glad to hear him humouring her about his lack of memories. After a pause he added with a smile in his voice, "May I request an audience with our ruler?"

A smile tugged at her lips as she answered, "You may. What is your name?"

"Link—"

In that moment, he realised that he had no idea what his surname was.

"I…" She cleared her throat. "You are the Champion; formalities are overrated. Now what is your dilemma, young man?"

He took longer than expected to respond, and when he did the Princess wasn't expecting for him to say, "Have you ever been to the top of Hyrule Castle?" The Knight raised his head long enough to note his charge shaking her head slightly. "May we take this discussion up there?"

"O-Of course," she stammered, "Lead the way."

Link guided Zelda up into the highest part of the Sanctum where Calamity Ganon had taken root for 100 years, ignoring the effigies to Knights of the past as they stepped out into the open air, immediately illuminated by the setting sun. Link had come this way during his field survey of the Castle, desperate to obtain high ground in order to assess the situation one final time before facing Calamity Ganon once and for all. Leading his Princess up various tower surrounding the Sanctum, making sure to go first in order to check the strength of the ladder rungs before his Princess came with him.

It took longer than expected with parts of the ladders broken, however by the time Link had reached the top, he cast his gaze down to his charge with a small smile. "I need you to close your eyes for me."

Her eyes flickered down the ladder, then back up to him, "A-Are you sure?"

Holding his hand down to her, he said, "I won't let you fall, Zelda. You have my word." She smiled hesitantly and stepped up a few more rungs before allowing her eyes to fall shut; jumping when a hand helped her up the rest of the way. Her breath stilled as another hand supported her back, leading her towards the edge. The wind picked up slightly, yet she refused to open her eyes just yet—she didn't want to ruin it for either of them.

And when a whisper came in her ear for her to open her eyes, Zelda was greeted with one of the most stunning sights she had ever laid on.

They stood in the highest tower of Hyrule Castle, the cast iron bell she had heard ever since she was a child hanging high above them. Some of the tall arched windows and all of the glass had been destroyed in the attack, parts of the walls blown through too, although this only allowed the sunlight to wash into the tower—its colour reflected across the horizon, contrasting with the violet clouds which drifted by.

From this vantage point, all of Hyrule was open and basking in the fading light.

Placing her hands on the railing, Zelda breathed, "It's beautiful…" Turning to her Knight, she added with a smile, "Thank you, Link." For a moment he said nothing, lost in memories of the sun highlighting her form; as they made their way to Goron City, in Sanidin Park, at the base of Mount Lanayru, and now. His lips parted in awe, and for a moment he lost himself.

When Zelda raised a brow, he returned; he had almost forgotten about his "dilemma."

Taking a hesitant step forward, the Hero steeled himself for what was about to come. "My dilemma concerns the Princess of Hyrule," he began slowly, resting his hand over hers hesitantly. "Many moons ago, you agreed to wait for me until I was ready—until I was stronger. And until now, I have been able to do that. However…" Link added after a moment, turning his gaze to the world he saved, "I don't want to keep the Princess of Hyrule waiting."

"I will always wait for you. You know that," she soothed, squeezing his hand tightly.

The Knight forced a smile, "I know that… however I recently came to a rather selfish realisation: I don't know what will become of me in the future." The Princess remained silent; perplexed. "We were both held in stasis for the past 100 years, but only I defied the laws of nature. You and Purah will live your lives, but we can't say the same for me. And it may seem rather selfish to say, though I've realised that I don't want to wait until I'm stronger or until Hyrule is stronger." He met her eyes evenly, raw emotion filling his irises for one of the first times since Zelda had met him. "You don't need to wait for me anymore… if you'll still have me."

A moment of silence passed between them, their breath hot on one another's skin.

Then the Princess murmured, "I will always have you, Link. I don't want to lose you again…"

After a brief second of natural doubt, their lips brushed.

It was slow at first, both the Hero and Princess desperate to act with chaste. Despite the lack or prying eyes or stares of judgement on them, the two were both still hesitant to create the foundations of commitment to one another despite their clear affection for each other.

Gingerly leaning back, the Princess and her appointed Knight smiled bashfully as the Goddesses cleared away the clouds, bathing their land and their Chosen in a brilliant golden light; as if given them a physical sense of approval. Ever since that fated day in Blatchery Plain—the Princess's own birthday—a bond had formed which was not broken despite the emotional turmoil and physical distance placed between the two of them for so long.

In that moment, everything was perfect.

And that moment didn't have to end.

Staying within inches of one another, Zelda wondered with a grin, "Has your dilemma been rectified, Hero?"

"I believe it has," he replied, planting his lips onto the crown of her head. Placing a finger under her chin, Link added, "Do you want to go before it gets—?"

She silenced him with another kiss, her answer palpable.

Hours later, the two had shifted onto the ground, resting against the wall as Zelda sat in her Knight's lap, the latter running his fingers through her hair. "I am still unsure of how I will end up ruling this Kingdom," the Princess mused, glancing up to Link, "Although I am content knowing that you will be beside me."

This may be her throne of nothing, however that meant that she could make it what she desired.

"I would never consider leaving you, Zelda. Not now, not ever. We'll always have each other, no matter what happens."

"No matter what," she murmured, shifting close to him, "I like that… I think that represents us rather well, don't you think? No matter what happens, the fates will always guide us back to each other."

He hugged her tighter; enough was said.

Birds sung in the far distance, mates intertwining with each other as they returned to their nests for the evening, slipping away into the faraway forests. Silent Princesses, which had quickly began to flourish over the past few months since the defeat of Calamity Ganon, swayed in the breeze—alabaster petals pigmented with blue scattering across the plains of Hyrule.

Hyrule's future, as well as that of Link and Zelda, finally shone with hope; as long as they had one another, Hyrule would thrive.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Well that one took a long time for me to get right, but I'm finally happy with it. I think those last few lines could be a little better, but for now I really want to see what you guys think of it. I honestly must have spent more than an hour just getting screenshots of Hyrule Castle and Castle Town (killing all the Guardians was terrifying though!) so I hope that it all paid off! Let me know what you think! :3

 _*The rehearsal that Zelda mentions is one of the shots in Rhoam's story on the Great Plateau when he talks about the legend_

 _**The line, "They see you as a failed Princess. Irresponsible and incapable of fulfilling her destiny," is a line from the French version of the Father and Daughter memory/my translation of it. I just had to put in because of how hard-hitting it was when I heard that._

~RandomButLoved~


	8. One Year

_**Author's Note:**_ It was rather funny and really sweet to hear that people were thinking that this story was over after the trip to Hyrule Castle; I did even consider it after reading those reviews. But not only have I had amazing support for this story, but I also want to carry on until there's a more conclusive end (they still need to visit the major towns, after all), so here you all go; another chapter for you! :3

 _ **Guest Reviews:**_ **AngelFox997:** They finally did! I almost stopped them from doing it too! Aww thank you ever so much! I hope you enjoy!

 **Guesty:** Oh wow thank you ever so much! It was a super nerve wracking experience, but to see such a lovely review makes me so happy! Yeah I am rather dedicated, huh? Aha, I do it all for you! Trust me, I think there was a blood moon the day after so I was going to cry!

 **Guest:** Don't worry, this will be carry on for a little bit yet; not much longer, but there will still be many chapters ahead! :3 And honestly writing the happier memories is my favourite part!

 _ **Beyond**_

 _Eight: One Year_

~O~

In the aftermath of visiting the ruins of Hyrule Castle and Hyrule Castle Town, the Princess of Hyrule finally understood her path.

Firstly, Zelda and Link would make their way to the four corners of Hyrule in order to appoint new Champions to serve as new pilots for the currently dormant Divine Beasts; to create, as King Rhoam once put, "a unique bond" between each part of Hyrule. Not only would they have to gain the approval of the new Champions, but they would also have to create new political ties between each of the major towns—to which the Zelda prayed fervently that there had been few clashes between the races over the past 100 years, although that was asking for a miracle.

The Princess of Hyrule also expressed her desire to rebuild Castle Town as well as Hyrule Castle. As much as her heart told her to run away with Link to Hateno Village and live her life out there, she couldn't leave her people after such a horrific fate. Once the major towns had been helped back onto their feet, the ruins of the Castle and Castle Town would be reverted back to their original state; perhaps even better.

And after came the hardest challenge.

 _"I will have to reveal myself to the people,"_ the Princess resolved to her Knight one evening, _"Those in the major towns have already made their guesses after your return… and so many years in turmoil, my people also deserve the truth; they do not deserve false identities and unanswered questions. And, if I am accepted, then I will reclaim the throne and help to bring Hyrule back from the brink officially."_

Any yet, there was another pressing issue in the mind of the Hylian Champion.

Despite his amnesia, he could still recall that the Great Calamity came to pass on the Princess's 17th birthday, meaning that both dates were fast approaching. And as much as the Princess of Hyrule attempted to ignore the oncoming date, her companion did just the opposite—refusing to let his companion feel even more terrible on a day that should be filled with celebration.

Obviously he could never fix the past, but that didn't mean that he couldn't make the future more positive.

 _"If you could go anywhere in Hyrule, where would you go?"_ he had asked her one evening, _"I mean, I'm sure you could only go to select places when you were younger… but now you can go anywhere. If you had no politics or duties to guide your answer, where would you go?"_

Despite her hesitation, he engraved her answer into his mind, _"The ocean,"_ she said simply, then, _"I only ever saw it from afar, yet I never went near it. If I could go anywhere, I would go to the ocean."_

And in her single wish, he knew exactly what he needed to do.

He had managed to bring her into the southern regions of Faron by telling her that he wished to look for a group of carpenters that would help them in rebuilding Hyrule Castle Town and potentially the Castle as well. The Hylian Champion woke his charge early in the morning, pretending as if it was any other day; even if he did bashfully ask her to wear the same white dress that she returned to him in.

Exiting the Lakeside Stable not long after the sun had risen, Link guided his Princess across the Floria Bridge and into the Ebara Forest. Raising up his arm to protect himself from the falls' mist, he mused, "You know, the dragon Farosh has been sighted in these parts recently. Do you know much about them?"

"Very few things have ever been written down about the dragon gods," Zelda replied, her eyes glinting with a familiar passion; the same passion as when she discussed the ancient Sheikah technology, "Their existence has been verified, of course, however their duties and behaviours have been hard to catalogue over the centuries. Legends say that Farosh split the Dueling Peaks, which only used to be one mountain, in two. And yet, all we seem to have are legends and folklore to guide us."

Link hummed, "I suppose we could add that to the list is investigations to make about Hyrule. It would certainly make an adventure."

"One could see it in the papers, couldn't they? The Princess and Hero of Hyrule solve the mystery of the dragons," Zelda smiled for a moment before her mood turned sour, "I suppose they would have to know about us by then, wouldn't they?"

She had refused to tell the people of her return until they were sure that they could give them hope for the future which they could secure with certainty; and until that moment came, she would pray that their time would come soon.

Noting her mood, Link quickly diverted the conversation as they rode through the forest and towards Atun Valley. "I met a travelling couple in this region," he remarked, "The woman, Sorelia, was prepared so search all over Hyrule for a Silent Princess so she could present it to her partner and swear her eternal love to him." He forced a laugh, "If I wasn't so caught up in the idea of them plucking endangered plants and your favourites, I would have found it rather nice. It got me thinking that we could work on bringing their numbers back up, and once you reclaim the throne your crown could be modelled after them?"

She snapped her head up to him, "I'm sorry?"

"I-I mean it was just an idea. As they were your favourite, I thought you'd want something familiar. But that's alright if you don't agree; it was a rather foolish idea and—"

"You're rambling, Link," she cut in with a chuckle, "I simply missed the beginning of what you said."

Sometimes his ability to speak more was becoming more of a curse than a relief.

The rest of their journey was quieter, reaching their destination not long after the sun had reached its zenith. Leading them down a steep slope, the Hero glanced over to his charge with a small smile as a small village came into view—and with it an incredible sight.

It was the ocean, glittering in all its glory beneath the sun's rays.

Slowing his mare, Sauvage, into a halt, he helped Zelda to dismount and murmured into her ear, "Happy birthday, Zelda."

Passing beneath a bamboo entrance, the two entered a petit village bathed in sunlight. Emerald grass sprouted out of the sandy banks as they swayed in the light breeze. The large body of water before them shimmered in the sunlight, lapping over tracks left in the sand by fishing boats without a care in the world. Clouds drifted lazily across the sky as fishermen sailed across the horizon now that it was safe to traverse. The sun cast the long shadows of palm trees across the white sand, their rustling leaves instantly calming the both of them.

Her smile grew larger as her eyes landed on the ocean ahead; finally closer that ever.

"Did you ever want to come here for the carpenters?" the Princess dared to ask.

"The carpenters I want to meet are near Death Mountain; I just needed an excuse that wouldn't give any hints," he grinned, "Are you happy to stay here? If not we can go back and—"

"No, no… it's perfect."

"Hey!" Their attention was swept away by the sudden call of a small child as they rushed towards them; bronze skin positively gleaming in the sun. Skidding into a stop at their feet, the child's bright eyes shone with recognition, "Hey Mister, you're the one who helped my Mom cook dinner, aren't ya?" To her surprise, Link nodded. The boy's eyes then found her and widened, "O-Oh hi! Are you his friend?"

"I am."

"Cool! We don't get many 'round here anymore…" He held out a hand to Zelda, "I'm Zuta, and your friend is really popular around here. Mom wouldn't let me play on the beach because of all the monsters, but now I can thanks to him! She'll be mega happy to see you!" The Princess smiled as the young boy invited them into the quaint village, the burden on her heart seeming to lift just a little.

Wood planks created a path off to the left, guiding visitors past the few shops and huts where the villagers resided, families and tradesmen alike strolling down the large wooden walkway beside them. Young Zuta took the Knight and Princess to his abode where his mother, Kiana, was preparing lunch for the day.

"Hey Mom, Mister Helper and his friend have come to visit!" Zuta cried out, instantly grabbing his mother's attention.

"Oh Zuta, you don't need to shout," she chastised with a smile as he plopped down onto the seat beside the cooking pot. Dusting her hands on her carnation pink wrap, the lady turned her attention to the travellers, shaking their hands with a warm smile, "Welcome to Lurelin Village, Miss, and welcome back… Link, was it?" He nodded politely. "I'm Kiana. What's your name, Miss?"

"I am Zelda. Pleased to meet you—your village is wonderful."

"It took a lot of effort to get this place to where it was after the Great Calamity, but we did it." Then her eyes widened, "Oh where are my manners? Come and sit down—lunch is almost ready! Oh Zuta, would you be able to buy some more Mighty Porgys from Mubs, please? We'll need a few more for our guests."

"Oh Kiana—" Both the Knight and Princess began at the same time.

"You two better not be refusing to eat with us," Kiana cut in, much like Urbosa always would, "You're our guests and have done a lot around here—to have you both eating with us is the least we can do." As much as Zelda wanted to refute that only Link had helped out, she kept herself quiet as Zuta leaped to his feet and raced off. "Zuta, remember the—!"

Link smiled, catching on straight away, "I'll give him the money he needs."

"Oh you don't—" Zuta's mother started, only to trail off once the Hero had already left. She glanced over to Zelda with a smile, "Is he always that stubborn?"

The Princess nodded, "Like all boys."

The two took a seat around the cooking pot, discussing why Link and Zelda were there as well as how life was in Lurelin. "The sea was the weakest parts of Hyrule during and after the Great Calamity. My great grandma managed to survive the attack and began to rebuild what they could of the villages on the shores, but with the constant Guardian attacks they settled down here to make one village."

"And to inherit the constant fear of attack… it truly is amazing that you have all survived through all of this."

"It wasn't easy, but nothing worthwhile is," Kiana replied with a smile, her eyes leaving Zelda's for a moment to find her son. "I'm so glad that the beaches are now safe for my kids…"

"I wish no one had to bear this pain; fear for their home, their children, the next day… all because of one attack that nearly ended Hyrule…"

Kiana hummed in agreement, "But now everything is safe, thanks to the both of you."

Zelda's heart stopped.

"I, um, am just a friend of Link's. He's the one who has been helping the villages."

The older woman laughed heartily, reminding the Princess of Lady Urbosa again, "You look a lot like the Princess of Old, you know?" Kiana mused as she added more spices to the pot, "And you have her name…"

Zelda laughed lightly, tucking some hair behind her ear, "I seem to be told that rather often recently."

However the older woman carried on, "Let me tell you something, Miss. The story of the Great Calamity lives in us, and when we started hearing about a young lad appearing in Hyrule last year looking like and having the same name as the Hylian Champion, there were only a few people who didn't see this as a sign. Not only does he calm the Divine Beasts but he also reappears out of a safe Hyrule Castle with a woman a lot like the Princess beside him."

Zelda forced a hesitant laugh, "The Champions died during the Calamity—" _As much as it still pains me to think of…_ "—I think you are mistaken."

"Really?" Kiana mused, placing her attention on the pot as she continued, "Many died trying to defeat the Guardians on the beach, but your friend down there defeated all that he could along Gogobi Shores in one night. He came back to Lurelin in a sorry state—Hylia knows how many he took on, but he was holed up here for a week to heal—and if it wasn't for those blasted Blood Moons bringing them back…"

Zelda's guilt increased at the sheer pain in bright woman's eyes.

Kiana shook her head, casting her gaze back to Zelda, "What I mean to say, Zelda, is that if you both are who many of us think you are… you don't need to be scared. If anything, we could all use something good in this world—and after what the Princess and her Champions did 100 years ago and now, the two of you are that goodness that we need."

The Princess of Hyrule was speechless long after Link and Zuta returned.

Zuta's younger sibling, Kinov, joined them for lunch, their mother serving up a crab stir-fry for the five of them to enjoy whilst her husband, Sebasto, was out fishing for the day. As much as the Hero originally brought his charge to Lurelin so that she could properly experience the ocean for the first time, he found joy when she pulled him off to the side and timidly asked if they could stay with the family for the afternoon—a burden seemingly lifted from her shoulders somehow.

He didn't question it.

They spent the rest of the day with Zuta's family, helping the family with general chores and simply getting to know the people more. Link had heard of Lurelin from Zora's Domain and how they were being constantly ambushed by Guardians and monsters, so he went down to help them build defences and take care of what enemies he could; but despite that, he still wasn't there long with the weight of saving Hyrule after his own failure on his back.

And since Zelda had heard of the rumours being spread about her, what way to increase a bond between her and her subjects by helping out in any way possible?

Once Sebasto returned with a large haul of fish, Link and Zelda offered to cook their dinner for them, however the compromise came to them all cooking together. It was a joyous affair, one where Zelda couldn't stop smiling at hearing what Link had done to help this village but also the smile on his face too.

Ironically enough, Kiana created the same seafood paella that the Hero had helped her with originally, bringing about even more stories that even the other locals joined in with in passing.

"I sure know how to catch 'em," Sebasto remarked, referring to the fish he had caught and added to the paella. Pecking his wife's cheek, he added, "Just like you. Thank you for a wonderful meal and keeping these two around for the day. It must get mighty lonely without some new faces."

"Oh it's fine, Seb!" Kiana breathed, fingering her shell necklace absently, "Our village is always open to these sorts of people!"

Zelda lowered her head, unable to hide the heat in her cheeks.

And as the family prepared to settle down for the evening, the Princess knew exactly what was coming as her companion took her by the hand and walked her out of the village.

It was time.

She could barely contain her excitement as the two made their way up a rocky path, rising above the main beach. The sun had almost set, casting a warm orange across the entire sky, a mix of violets and blues dotting the horizon as some stars began to take their peek at the view from above; as if taking up their role to keep an eye on the world for the night.

The ocean had always intrigued her as a child, yet with her duties and her training starting when she was rather young, the Princess could only see it from the spires of her study. It was if she had a chance to experience what most normal boys and girls did when they were younger whilst she was stuck studying classical literature and diplomacy. Now was her chance to seize the day, and she wouldn't have anyone else at her side as she went through these brand new experiences.

Her head came to rest on Link's shoulder as they passed Gama Cove, the latter taking extra care for Zelda as they made their way down craggy slope ahead. At first, the Princess was rather confused that Link didn't just take her to the shores in front of Lurelin Village, however as their feet met the sand of Palmorae Beach—its ruins close by—she was glad for the more secluded atmosphere.

He lead her to the edge of the beach, staying a few feet away so that the feeling of water lapping against their feet didn't hit them too early. Stripping off their shoes, the two stood at the edge of the water apprehensively, hand in hand. "It feels rather strange to feel so much excitement," the Hylian Princess mused, "I have been in various springs and rivers before—why should the ocean be any different?"

"I think because the ocean is so different," he said softly, "Something about the ocean stays with us—many of the villagers feel like a piece of their heart is in the sea, and if they ever leave the village they feel empty. It's untamed and free. Maybe we just aspire to be the same?"

She smiled, "I'm not sure whether your words are inspiring or corny."

"Probably both," he chuckled, then took both of her hands into his, "Are you ready?"

"More than anything."

He released her hands as she shuffled towards the ocean, feeling its pull on her like a rope around her waist. She glanced back to her Knight for a moment, wondering why he wasn't going with her. Zelda assumed so that she could feel strength in doing it herself or simply to look back on it as a solitary experience—but she was done with doing things alone. She grabbed onto his hand and pulled him along with her, jumping when the waves crashed into her legs.

Although she was in her white ceremonial dress instead of a bathing suit and her companion was in rolled up trousers and his undershirt, neither of them cared as they waded deeper into the water, feeling the warm waters enveloping them into a comforting embrace.

Strangely enough, she hadn't felt so free since she was freed from Calamity Ganon's grasp.

"So," she began wistfully, running her hands through a wet lock of hair, "Eighteen years of age. Who would have thought that we had entered the Riverside Stable this time last year with no idea of what the future would hold? We had no one who had seen our struggles, no knowledge on what could happen… just one another…"

For a moment, Link wondered when his own birthday was.

"And look where we are now."

She laughed lightly, "Indeed, look where we have found ourselves—waist-deep in the ocean's depths and hope for the future."

The Hero smiled ruefully, "I suppose I can be blamed for the former at the very least." After a brief pause, he tentatively raised his fingers to brush against her cheek, instantly snapping her gaze onto his. He swallowed thickly, then, "I need to ask you something… about your last birthday."

Her voice became meeker, "What do you desire to ask?"

There was a beat of silence before he finally said, "After watching you being belittled by so many and pushed down for not harnessing your power by your "inaction," I was so proud of you on that day; somehow even more so than before." He delicately closed her fingers around something, "And ever since I first heard your voice more than a year ago, that pride hasn't left—even long before I could understand it."

Opening her hand, the dying light illuminated a small pendant in her palm. A shard of azure sea glass shone in the light, dangling from a thin silver chain. Compared to the almost gaudy jewels that she was given by various suitors (before her father forced her into training instead of courtship, of course) over the years, this was by far the most stunning and meaningful.

"The beaches of Faron are known for their sea glass. They're tossed through the ocean for so long that none can be replicated exactly," he explained softly as she clipped it around her neck. "One piece of glass becomes that after so much time and effort… just like you have. Your last birthday will stay with us for the rest of our lives, but we came out the other side. Like the glass, this journey took so much time and effort with no shortcuts, but it was all worth it."

Placing her hands onto his shoulders, she murmured, "Your wisdom and analogies never cease to amaze me, Link." Their lips brushed for a moment. "Your thoughtfulness and wisdom throughout this past year has kept me sane; through the good days and the bad. You saved me, Link, in every way that a person could be saved. And while you are too modest to accept it, please know that I would not be the person I am without you; I wouldn't have awoken my powers, nor would I be _alive_ if it weren't for you."

"And I wouldn't have done any of this if it weren't for you, Zelda," he murmured, "As your Knight and your friend, I won't ever forget what you have done for us."

Resting their foreheads together, Link and Zelda stayed there for a while—immersing themselves in the present after so long of thinking of the past and future—before wading their way back towards the shore once more. However, before the Hero could wrap a cloak around his charge, the Princess remembered something that she wanted to do.

"W-Wait," she breathed, catching Link's attention. She released herself from him for just a moment to make her way over to the cloaks she had brought with her. The Hero watched her as she plucked two small bouquets of hibiscus flowers out from the bundle—thin rope holding them together. Passing him one of the bunches, she took him back to the edge of the water. "Young Kinov told me something at the creek. He told me that when Lurelin villagers lose someone they love, they throw hibiscus flowers—their native flower—into the ocean as a honour."

"Zelda…"

"I'd like us to do the same, for my Father, your parents, the Champions, and all of the innocents lost because of Calamity Ganon. This is our new start and a perfect day for it. The people are quickly catching on to who we are, and now the true challenge begins. However, before we start that, we shall end this trip by having our moment of peace and closure… then we shall rest and enjoy exactly where we are, alright?"

He studied her for a while, perplexed at her suddenness and hard resolve. When he reminded himself that his Princess had certainly not changed over the past 100 years; especially not in her stubbornness, that was for sure; and his lips drew up into a soft smile, "Let's start the next chapter."

Moments later two small bundles of hibiscus flowers fell into the water, a weight lifted from the Hylians' shoulders near instantly. Link and Zelda watched on as the water lapped over the two bundles, whisking them off into the distance.

 _It all truly started now._

Neither of them stayed there long, the Princess's appointed Knight wrapped a cloak around his charge, boldly holding her close as they left Palmorae Beach and returned to Lurelin Village.

One year on, everything was different.

One year on, they were still standing by one another

One year ahead, anything could happen.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ And there you go! I'm really not a fan of the middle part; I feel like it's really rushed; so please let me know how you felt about it! I see this part as Part 2 of this story, so while I don't know how many chapters there are left, Link and Zelda will be systematically going around Hyrule to revisit each of the Divine Beasts with some little chapters in between. Let me know what you thought of it, and in the next one we'll be off to Zora's Domain. Have a wonderful day! :3

~RandomButLoved~


	9. Divine Companion

_**Author's Note:**_ I'm alive! I've finally finished with exams so I can finally focus on this story properly again. I actually rather enjoyed writing this chapter, even if it is rather short and isn't Zora's Domain as a promised; but that will be in the next chapter I swear! I just got this idea and really wanted to include it, plus the part at the end was rather necessary to the story. Either way I really hope that you enjoy it! :3

 _Also, since this has been a while, I'm sorry if I didn't reply to your review via PM; I can't remember if I did or not!_

 _ **Guest Reviews:**_ **AngelFox997:** Thank you so so much! And yes at the moment they are who the New Champions will be! Enjoy!

 _ **Beyond**_

 _Nine: Divine Companion_

~O~

Link and Zelda sat atop a large knoll behind Kakariko Village, studying the vibrant landscape of Hyrule before them. After a prolonged stay in Lurelin Village, the two Hylians made their way back to Kakariko Village to explain to Impa of their plans. Due to her weary bones, the Sheikah sent Purah off with Link and Zelda to gather what they needed for the long journey—for they wouldn't return for months if they were travelling all across Hyrule, it seemed.

It was their final afternoon in Kakariko before they would begin their inevitably long journey across Hyrule to visit each of the Divine Beasts and begin the political part of Hyrule's rebuilding. Link lay on his back, arm rested behind his head as he lazily gazed up to the sky; finally having a moment to relieve himself of the various tasks he had to complete in the coming months.

Meanwhile his Princess sat upright, studying the Hyrule Compendium as well as other photographs Link had taken during his journey and had stored on the Sheikah Slate. Swiping through various images, she mused, "You have taken some wonderful pictures, Link. You have managed to capture the real essence of each place you visited…"

He scratched the back of his neck absently, "You flatter me too much, Zelda."

"I merely speak the truth, dear Hero," she chuckled, intently regarding the details of one particular image of the Temple of Time with a frown. Catching his attention, she reached over to show him the picture, "Is the Temple of Time truly in such ruins? Or is it merely the angle?"

"Unfortunately it's in a bad shape, but it still stands after all this time," he said softly, catching the sorrowful glint in her eyes as she returned to her previous activity. "If you would like to visit it, we could easily take a detour… I'm sure you'd like to see the Shrines there too for your research." She hummed, but said nothing. "Are you alright, Zelda?"

"Oh, I apologise, Link," she stammered, "I was thinking about visiting the Temple of Time as a child. I wish you could remember it when it stood in its full glory."

He smiled, "One day, Zelda. And maybe by that point, it will be rebuilt."

"You believe that we should rebuild it?"

Link laughed lightly at her rather startled yet hopeful expression, "Of course. It's a key monument in Hyrule that's been cut off from the people for so long. I think it would do them and us the world of good to rebuild what we can, not just the Hyrule Castle and Castle Town, right?" His heart leaped at her beaming smile, only to fall into confusion when her eyes caught something on the Sheikah Slate. "What is it?"

Zelda gestured for her Knight to scoot over to her side, peering over her shoulder silently as she gestured to a particular photograph, "How did you take such a photograph in such close proximity to this beast without being harmed?" she wondered, glancing up to him as he soon recognised the image.

The photograph he had taken was of a large wolf resting beside a campfire, piercing blue eyes—which looked rather humanoid in Zelda's opinion—glimmering in the flames and embers that danced in the corner of the image. It was almost as if the wolf's dark fur was still moving in the image, strange white marking across its forehead and body a strange sight on a wild animal.

"If you pass me the Slate, I'll show you."

She raised a skeptical brow and teasingly drew it back before he could take it, "Where are your manners, Mr. Hero? I thought you were an example to Hyrule."

"After some of the things you used to call me, Princess, you should practice what you preach," was his simple response, referring back to her constant nicknames for him 100 years ago before she actually used his name the "Prodigy," the "Hero," or simply the "Boy" being a few. Narrowing her eyes playfully, she hugged the Slate close to her chest; refusing to give it up after such an insult.

"You shouldn't use such a tone when talking to Her Grace," she mocked with a wink.

"I suppose I should know my place," he muttered, suddenly concerning the Princess. Link cast his gaze away for a moment, only to suddenly pounce, jumping forwards to pluck the Sheikah Slate from her hands.

However, despite her sudden shock, the Princess managed to throw her Hero off balance by grabbing onto his clothes and pulling her down onto her, laughing as he held the Slate above her. "Well played, Link."

"I thought so myself." Their lips brushed, the kiss deepening for a moment before the Hylian Champion allowed Zelda to sit up, heat rushing to her cheeks at the pale grass stains on her blue tunic—her companion fared the same, which only added to her embarrassment. Pulling her in a bit closer, Link placed the Slate into his lap and found the Runes section, revealing a particular Rune which Zelda had not seen before; nor did she understand its symbol.

Clicking on the Rune, Link lifted his head as a shadow came overhead suddenly, causing Zelda to snap her gaze up as well in perplexity. Some form of portal appeared in the skies above, jet black fragments raining down. The Princess shuffled back slightly as the droplets banded together on the grass a few feet in front of them to form the silhouette of a large creature.

"Link, what is…?"

The shadows suddenly receded, revealing a dark-haired wolf before them. Howling heartily, Zelda tilted her head as the wolf's gaze found them, piercing blue eyes exactly like the ones of the wolf Link has captured in his picture he took during his journey. The Princess glanced up to her companion, who merely smiled at her and held his hand out to the wolf.

And, after a brief pause, the wolf carefully made its way towards the two Hylians, pushing its muzzle into the Knight's hand affectionately.

"I'm not quite sure how it happened," Link remarked as he scratched the backs of the wolf's ears, "But I guess the Sheikah Slate somehow gained another Rune after being in the Shrine of Resurrection for so long. Either way, it has a function of sending in aid to the user." He nodded down to the beast, "He's helped me hunt, protected me during fights and… well, he gave me company when I needed it most."

"While most of my time fighting Calamity Ganon has partially blurred over, I never recall seeing you two together," Zelda said quietly, then her eyes lit up at the thought of new technology to research, "When did you discover such a Rune?"

Link smiled, glad to see her tenacity for her research had never left her, passing the Sheikah Slate back to her as he thought back.

 _It had been more than a week since Link had first awoke in the Shrine of Resurrection. Tired and confused, he had been caught up in a sudden rain storm whilst hunting in the Forest of Spirits; unable to return to the only man he had met since his awakening._

 _Something was different about that older man that Link couldn't quite put his finger on, however there seemed to be something in his mind which stopped any strings from connecting anything together—like a mental wall around his true self. He just wanted to understand what was going on, and why he didn't remember anything in the first place._

 _It angered him more than anything, for the pain of not understanding hurt as much as the longing for the voice within Hyrule Castle; the one that taught him his real name._

 _He huddled in a small, man-made cave in the cliffs beneath the Shrine of Resurrection, firewood already left there by the old man presumably from a few days before. His clothes were inadequate at best, wracking his body with harsh shivers as he lit the fire and settled down, praying that the storm would pass. His mind seemed like a storm; constantly barraged by thoughts he didn't always understand._

 _But it seemed that he was never going to understand anything at this rate; he had been roped into something he couldn't even remember, in a land that he couldn't remember._

 _How could he do any of this?_

 _Concluding that the rain wasn't going to let up anytime soon, Link pulled out a blanket from his pack and huddled beside the fire, despising how often he was alone with his haphazard thoughts. The old man and the strange voice seemed to be his only salvation, and he refused to think about what would happen if he didn't have either of them to help him through finding his senses once again._

 _With his back against the cave wall, he stared into the dancing flames before him, melancholy began to ebb away at his irritation, leaving him filled with a hopelessness that he was sure wouldn't leave him until he found the answers to the masses of questions flying through his mind._

 _Not to his surprise, the hopeless feeling lingered in his heart as he drifted off into a fitful slumber; his sleep filled with blurred images of battles and a shining face he did not recognise._

 _And yet, the Sheikah Slate managed to slip out of his pack in the night, his slumbering form catching an unrecognisable Rune with his fingers._

 _After his restless sleep, his awakening in the morning did not seem any better, for he awoke to a deep growl._

 _Blinking his eyes open, the first thing Link became aware of was that the storm in the night had passed, plumes of smoke reaching his nose just as quickly. However, as it had happened many times when he awoke, his senses were immediately on and his entire body tensed up; instantly prepared for what the day would give him. A switch seemed to turn on inside him like an age-old instinct he never understood—yet another frustrating thing about him._

 _The growl came again._

 _Link immediately nocked his traveller's bow, his eyes finding a large wolf. He hadn't seen anything other than monsters, squirrels and boars on the isolated Plateau, so to see such a creature sent fear into his core; it was apparently drawn in by Link's presence or the fire he had lit, the latter causing him to curse himself mentally. Clearly the wolf had come for food, and the man refused for him to be next on the list of targets._

 _His eyes widened as he thought of the meat in his pack the old man had given him. Staring calmly at the wolf, he said, "Are you hungry?"_

 _A part of him, the old part that he couldn't remember, screamed that to feed a wild wolf would simply make it come back for more food and lose their fear of people; making him even more of a target. However, there was something about the wolf's eyes that countered it all—something that made this wolf different, especially when it lost its defensive stance at the sound of Link's voice._

 _Carefully lowering his bow, Link pulled out some cooked meat from his pouch and threw it to the wolf, a tiny smile etching itself onto his features as the creature threw the meat up and caught it in his mouth._

 _Now that his attack stance began to loosen, the effects of the rain and low temperatures from the previous night hit the Hylian with a vengeance, causing him to cough loudly into his fist._

 _Strangely enough, the wolf stopped eating straight away, making Link's smile return, "Go on… you've got all you need from me."_

 _As his cough persisted, the wolf did indeed leave the Hero's side, however returned moments later with a mouth full of Hyrule herbs; ones the old man had told him grew abundantly in Hyrule and helped with sickness. The wolf placed the herbs into Link's lap and sat down beside him, waiting until he began to eat them before relaxing._

 _After that fated meeting, Link finally had something else at his side; something to finally remember later on in his journey._

"I kept him with me as much as possible as I searched for the Shrines on the Great Plateau," Link continued as the wolf nestled into Zelda's lap, quickly growing comfortable in her presence after the Knight's confirmation to the beast. "He even saved me from a Yiga attack. They posed as travellers and caught me off guard. If he hadn't defeated the rest and gotten me to safety… I doubt I would have fulfilled my duty to you."

"Incredible," the Princess of Hyrule breathed, "For the Sheikah Slate to produce such a Rune is amazing enough, but for this beast to aid you in battle and in the wilderness…" Zelda met her companion's eyes with a soft smile tugging at her lips, "Link, it is nothing short of a gift from the Goddesses."

"Impa told me that he may be a representation of the Sacred Beast from the legends. Since there are few pieces of the Hero of Twilight, she couldn't be sure, but she could feel something in the wolf that she couldn't quite describe."

"Something ineffable in this creature… I believe I understand what Impa had felt then," she mused, "If you don't mind, Link… I would like to keep him with us as we travel across Hyrule."

Link grinned, "You like him, don't you?"

"I suppose, however his research opportunities and feats in battle will only benefit us as we—" Zelda sputtered, cut off by her Hero's raised brow. She sighed in defeat, "And I like his presence… he is rather calming and will bring me much comfort knowing that we have more than just one another during battles."

"Oh, so will I be relieved of my role as your appointed Knight soon? Are you going to leave me for a dog?" Zelda cast her gaze down to the wolf, and within moments she had shoved her Hero onto the grass so that the wolf could easily pin him down. Link held his hands up in surrender, "Fine, fine, you're more than a dog!" he cried with a laugh, craning his neck to see his Princess, "But I wish you would listen to me as well as this one here listens to you because—ah, stop it!"

The Princess broke out into a fit of laughter as her Knight—once perceived by the people as an unstoppable force against Calamity Ganon—was struggling to stop a wolf from licking his face; a mighty force in Hyrule apparently ticklish when not chained to his previous stoic personality.

After a while, Zelda petted the wolf's head, to which he immediately stopped and sat at her side. She grinned as she clambered onto her feet, helping Link up as well once he had dried his face, ignoring the glare he sent to the beast, "So… what's our plan of action?"

The Princess returned her gaze to the glory of Hyrule before her, her eyes falling onto the Wetlands beneath them, "We'll make our way to Zora's Domain," she clarified, holding up the Slate, "Divine Beast Vah Ruta… looks like it stopped working. We must investigate the situation as soon as possible."

The Knight nodded, kneeling down to feed the wolf, "We can also return the Lightscale Trident to the Zora. I think King Dorephan would like to have to returned to him."

Zelda silently agreed, then lowered the Slate as she murmured, "Mipha's Father… I believe he would like to hear more about her. The least we can do is visit him and offer him some closure."

She suddenly felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist, "I think it would be a good start."

Relieving her, Zelda studied her land with a small smile, "Although Ganon is gone for now, there is still so much for us to do. And so many painful memories that we must bear." Link stayed still as the Princess took a wistful step forwards, "I believe in my heart that, if all of us work together… we can restore Hyrule to its former glory. Perhaps… even beyond. But it all must start with us." She held her palms up, "I pray that my power is strong enough to help Vah Ruta and the rest of Hyrule…" Without turning to him, she sighed calmly and said, "Well, let's be off."

Her Knight followed her from behind, the wolf at his feet. However, after a few moments, Zelda slowed into a halt, the wind's breath ruffling her hair—bright sunlight illuminating her figure. "Zelda?"

"I… I can no longer hear the voice inside the sword," her shoulders slumped as she breathed a dark laugh, raising her hand where her Mark gleamed in the light, "I suppose it would make sense if my power had dwindled over the past 100 years…" Link's concern grew as she partially turned to him, meeting his eyes forlornly as she tucked her arms behind her back; she had been thinking on this for a while, he concluded.

"Zelda…"

But then, much to his deep surprise and relief, his Princess broke out into a large smile as she shrugged, "After all that has happened, I'm surprised to admit this… But I can accept that." She laughed heartily, overjoyed to have a weight lifted from her chest. Link stared at her for a while, stunned at her sudden ability to let go of such pain, then rushed towards her and wrapped her up into a tight embrace. "L-Link," she breathed, "Are you quite alright?"

"More so than ever," he whispered into her ear before holding her at arm's length, "I know how long you have been holding onto doubts over your powers—I know it has weighed you down particularly now that Ganon is gone—but you finally believe in yourself in the same way that I believe in you." Cupping her cheeks, he murmured, "You can save Vah Ruta, just like you can rebuild Hyrule… even if you have taken my hunting partner away from me."

She grinned as they both leaned in, lips colliding as sheer joy radiated out from the both of them; the sun's rays seeming stronger as they shone upon their forms.

They were both stopped, however, when a form threw itself into their legs, forcing them to break apart.

"I believe he would like us to leave," Zelda giggled, her face flushed. Link smiled but said nothing, his eyes finding the hundreds of Silent Princesses which bloomed across the field before them, a warm smile pulling at his lips as he mounted his horse, glancing down to the wolf beneath him.

Now that Zelda was slowly coming back to the woman she always wanted to be—strong and free—her Knight couldn't have felt more hopeful for the future.

Divine Beast Vah Ruta glittered in the far distance, beckoning the two Hylians. As Link and Zelda made their way down Sahasra Slope, their new companion at their sides, the Princess's words of determination resonated strongly within them. They would return Hyrule to its former glory and beyond no matter what they had to face; they were steadfast in their belief.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ I'm sorry that this one is rather short, but I didn't want to stretch this out more than necessary; otherwise it wouldn't be right for that chapter, if that made sense. Either way this has been one of my favourite ideas to write so far so I'd love to know how you felt about it! Next up, as promised, will be Zora's Domain where everyone's favourite character on Tumblr is ;3 See you all then!

~RandomButLoved~


	10. Sidon

_**Author's Note:**_ Geez I really didn't think it would take so long to do this chapter but it took so much figuring out and I just kept getting distracted; those I will mention at the bottom! But either way I won't be replying to many reviews on PM unless they have questions and such because I will be rather busy, but guest reviews will be the same! Maybe we'll reach 100 soon, but either way please enjoy!

 _*And thank you so much to TDDolphin for their wonderful help with this chapter! Without it I would have needed to rewrite this chapter many more times :3*_

 _ **Guest Reviews:**_ **AngelFox997:** I just had to have him in! :D

 **Fan789:** Zora's Domain is first because the last chapter had Link and Zelda outside Kakariko Village (where the in-game epilogue takes place), and Zora's Domain is the closest to them geographically. After that it will be Tarrey Town/Goron Village, then the Rito Village, maybe Gerudo Town but they already went there, and then the Lost Woods and Hyrule Castle for the epilogue. Hope that helps! :3

 ** _Beyond_**

 _Ten: Sidon_

~O~

Within weeks, word of the Princess's existence seemed to escalate.

Certain of their plan to finalise Hyrule's rebuilding, Impa suggested that a Sheikah envoy deliver a letter from the Princess to the Zora; the first race they had decided to meet, for they lived closer to Kakariko than any other race; to signal her arrival there in the coming week. At first, she was against the idea of travelling to the Domain with a fleet of Sheikah behind her, however the Elder was quick to ease her protests, _"The Zora are expecting a Princess,"_ she had said. _"And a Princess needs both clear protection and a definitive presence. Your Knight alone won't give you this."_

Of course Impa meant no offense, but Zelda was glad that her companion wasn't there to hear that.

Dorian, the selected envoy, left to deliver the Princess's handwritten letter; somehow finding her Father's signet ring in another visit to Hyrule Castle to help solidify her claim. Less than a week later, news was spreading like wildfire across the entire Kingdom. As Kiana had said: most had already made the assumption about who Link and Zelda truly were—after all, they did little to hide their identities—though they hadn't expected the news to have been absorbed so quickly.

In her mind's eye, Zelda imagined their reveal to be amongst hundreds of people or after a long battle where they showed her people the mark on her hand and the sword in her companion's hand.

How wrong she was.

The Princess, accompanied by her Knight and a small group of Sheikah, departed from the village a few days after Dorian did. The journey would take twelve hours in total, and it was decided that this would be split over three days. Once travelling through the nearby Wetlands, they would trek through the rocky terrain leading towards Zora's Domain; the journey ever so slightly less treacherous now that monsters had been rid of from the land.

They stood on the Sahasra Slope, the same place Link and Zelda had discovered the existence of the Divine Beast apparition in the Sheikah Slate—though they would unfortunately not be travelling with him unless it was completely necessary.

"Koko wants lots of recipe ideas from Zora's Domain," the young child demanded of Link before they left. "Koko needs ideas if Koko wants to become a chef!" Once the kneeling Hero nodded, Koko was quick to jump up and throw her arms around his neck; her excitement clear to see on her face.

From a few feet away, a warm smile graced Zelda's face.

"E-Everything should be ready for you, P-Princess." She turned to find Paya, Impa's granddaughter, standing behind her with quaking hands.

The girl jumped out of her skin when Zelda took her hands into her own, "Thank you, Paya. You have been the utmost help to us." She stammered out some incoherences before excusing herself, leaving the Princess alone as she stepped up to Rhoam-Lien. Her horse, like all of the others, had been freshly groomed for the journey. She wasn't a fan of how his mane had been intricately plaited, not for its design but how quickly her horse had been moulded from a wild stallion to the Princess's horse.

Once it was over, Zelda would personally free her horse of the royal equipment for his sake.

"Are you ready, Princess?" Impa asked as she made her way towards the Hylian, came thudding softly against the grass.

"I believe I am, Impa," she replied softly, stroking her stallion's mane, "I can only pray that this all ends well."

"I'm sure it will, Princess. You are their light… and they need their light to shine upon Hyrule; they are giving out a positive reception for you."

 _But I am not their only light_ , Zelda thought as she cast her gaze over to Link, smiling as he made his way over to them.

"Everything is ready, Your Grace," he remarked. "We're ready to head out if you are."

With a quick confirmation, Zelda embraced Impa and allowed Link to help her onto her mount. Whilst the other Sheikah mounted their own horses, Impa pulled Link to one side. "I am sure that you already know this," she said, "But this journey may be the most important yet for Hyrule's future. Keep the Princess safe as well as yourself; you are her rock."

He swallowed thickly, "Of course, Elder Impa. You have my word."

"Very well. Now don't dawdle—you have a long journey ahead of you." He simply nodded and bid the Elder farewell, but it didn't mean that her words were swiftly forgotten.

* * *

The group spent the first evening and next day exploring the wetlands situated beneath the Sheikah Tower of the province. This was more so for Zelda, who desired to spend some time studying the region from which the Zora thrive in. They had left a day early to fulfil this purpose nonetheless, and so they quickly made their way down Sahasra Slope, past the Millennio Sandbar and into the wetlands. They spent the rest of the day exploring the ruins and different flora and fauna for the region; for Zelda it was an opportunity for her to research more about a region she knew little of, an for her Knight it was a reason to slow their journey down and calm their nerves.

The group rested in the nearby Wetland Stable for the evening before leaving the next morning to cross into Zora territory. It only took them a few hours to reach Oren Bridge, and it was clear to see how the Zora had left their mark on such an area. Most of the area was untainted, making it rather difficult to traverse with so many horses and so much food, however it gave it a beauty that the rest of Hyrule couldn't reach with so many man-made features. In fact, the only parts that had been changed were the stunning luminous stone bridges and lamps to guide travellers towards the home of the proud Zora.

It took another five hours after to reach the Great Zora Bridge, passing over Luto's Crossing and the rocky terrain before them; stopping overnight in one of the cave systems monsters had made during the Great Calamity to care for the horses and save their strength.

However, not long after midday the next day, a Zora representative was waiting for them on the bridge, one that Link was quick to recognise. And if it wasn't for Impa's words in his mind, he would have jumped off of his mare's back and ran over to his friend with joy.

"And here they are!" the proud Zora boomed with a ginormous grin. His skin shone in the late morning light, crimson scales identical in shade to Mipha's, his amber eyes just as similar to the previous Champion's. Zelda was taken aback at how similar this Zora was to Mipha, and tears gathered at the edges of her eyes as her Knight helped her to dismount.

"Greetings, Sir," she remarked with a smile, jumping slightly when the Zora went down on one knee and kissed the back of her hand.

"And greetings to you, Princess Zelda of Hyrule," he replied strongly as he stood. "To know that you are safe and well gives me and the rest of the Zora a great joy. I am Prince Sidon of the Zora, son of King Dorephan and brother of the late Princess Mipha." _So that is where the resemblance comes from_ , she thought. _I do recall seeing a small Zora like him running around the Domain before the Calamity..._

"We are well met, Prince Sidon," Zelda greeted, "Shall we make our way to the Domain? I'm sure you'd be much more comfortable down there."

"Of course, Your Grace," he chuckled, "But the Zora are more than excited to see you. You've been the talk of the town, Princess!"

And Sidon wasn't wrong; they were met with a crowd on the horizon.

Rhoam-Lien and Sauvage cantered down the craggy slopes, surrounded by Sheikah on all sides as they all made their way across the Great Zora Bridge as one. Luminous stone pillars shone under daybreak, the large fish structure rising up ahead of them; its large tail fanning out into the skies above. The cavernous walls surrounding them acted as good shields from the wind as the horses slowly gaited across the smooth stone. It was just as beautiful as Link and Zelda remembered it, though the former couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation over the visit; both for the potential ties that they could make with the Zora and the other memories Link could remember.

Guards standing on either side of the entrance bowed deeply towards her as they crossed the threshold into Zora's Domain. "Welcome back, Princess Zelda."

 _This is it…_

She took a moment to steel herself before nodding back firmly.

Zora's Domain had barely changed over the past one hundred years, and its beauty had only increased in that time. The large monument of a fish still stood tall atop the Domain, made to glitter in the light from all angles of the sun. Shards Of luminous stones had been laid into the marble floor and steps, creating a soft glow with every step taken in both night and day. Zora lined every part of the Domain possible to catch a glimpse of the Hylian Princess as her companion eased her down from her mount. Compared to the reaction Zelda presumed she would receive, she was baffled at how wrong she was.

She smiled and waved to everyone, following closely behind Prince Sidon as he lead her up the curved steps. What she failed to notice before, however, was the large statue of Mipha that had been erected most likely after her death. They all clearly looked up to her and mourned her, which is why Zelda was surprised to see such a lack of animosity towards her; maybe they knew of her efforts to keep the Zora Champion's legacy alive and not in vain. The thought lifted her spirits as she carried on up the stairs, glancing back to her Knight for a fraction of a second. He was solemn, that much she could tell, however the subtle but warm smile he passed to her proved that he wasn't lost in the past.

Zelda inhaled deeply as the Zora Prince lead her up one final main stairway, and she knew exactly what was going to occur now. As her name and various titles echoed around the chamber above her, the Princess steeled herself. _We fought for so long and hard to keep Hyrule together. This is merely… tying up loose ends._

And yet it took a while to make herself believe her own words.

The Throne Room was truly stunning. Made entirely from lapis lazuli and luminous stones, the Throne Room shone with a brilliant azure glow, the slightly domed ceiling and floor perfectly symmetrical. All Zoras knelt down once the Princess entered. Her breath stilled as the present finally caught up to her—she was standing back in Zora's Domain after one hundred years. It was truly incredible. Each of the Council members, she assumed, created a semicircle around the main throne where an older, rather large, but incredibly familiar Zora sat. His deep blue scales reflected off of the cool blue glow of the hall, eyes so identical to Mipha's that it took Zelda a moment to compose herself.

As Sidon took his place beside the King and Link stayed to the back of the room, the Princess knelt down before the great Zora.

"Greetings, Your Grace," the King's voice reflected through the room, "I, King Dorephan, bid you a warm welcome back to Hyrule, Princess of Zelda. It is a great comfort to see you once more and in such circumstances." Gesturing for her to rise, Dorephan leaned down to firmly shake her hands, "It's good to see you alive and well, Princess."

"And I you, King Dorephan," she smiled, "It has been far too long."

She turned halfway at the sound of footsteps behind her, smiling softly as her Knight bowed his head and handed her the Lightscale Trident which previously belonged to Mipha. She received the item with a single nod, causing her companion to momentarily tense up before excusing himself; standing at the edge of the chamber without another word. Frowning, the Princess had no choice but to turn away from him and fall to her knees on the central platform—eyes lowered as she raised the prized weapon towards the Zora King.

"I wish to return the Lightscale Trident which you bestowed upon the Hylian Champion during the fight against Calamity Ganon," she stated calmly, her heart pounding. "As a race and a Father, you deserve to have this physical presence of Princess Mipha back in your Domain."

The weight of the weapon was lifted from her hands by Prince Sidon, and moments later Dorephan's voice reflected around the chamber, "Thank you, Princess. And the same to you, Champion. You both protected a sacred heirloom of the Zora and I am deeply grateful to see it returned to us." He paused, then revealed his set of pearly white teeth as he waved his hand and added, "But you must rise, Princess. You have graced us with your presence; it should be me bowing to you if I were able to."

"You are too kind, King Dorephan."

He chuckled lightly, fondly reminding her of the Great Deku Tree, "Now, Princess, it is no small feat to see both you and your appointed Knight standing before us today. What have you been doing since the defeat of the Great Calamity?"

She swallowed thickly, then gestured towards Link, "We have been examining the state that Hyrule has fallen into over the past one hundred years in order to understand the extent of rebuilding our Kingdom."

"Surely it wouldn't have taken a year to do such a task?" a Councillor scoffed in the corner.

"I-I—" Zelda stammered, clasping her hands together in unease as she turned towards the stout Zora. "I was unsure of how I would be received, so I admit that it took longer to reveal myself than what was expected, however after a fight lasting one hundred years against a great behemoth had taken its toll on oneself, so I wished to allow myself to heal before embarking on such a great task."

The Zora King hummed, "And rightly so; one can only imagine such a struggle. I shall hear no remarks such as those from my subjects." Dorephan regarded Zelda with a small smile, "What you did for Hyrule was incredible. I only wish that my daughter was here to see what she helped to achieve."

"I wasn't alone in my fight," she replied, "I could feel the presence of the other Champions keeping me going as I fought back Ganon; without the presence of your daughter throughout that time or her efforts before the Great Calamity, I fear we would not stand here as free people today. She cast her gaze back to her companion, "We both mourn the tragedy that befell her and the other Champions, and we will keep them in our hearts. We shall restore Hyrule for them."

Wary of his appearance before his subjects, Dorephan nodded firmly in an attempt to hold back his tears. When he first heard of the Princess's return, the Council were pushing him to take action against her for "failing Princess Mipha," however Dorephan couldn't find it in his heart to do so. The tragedy of his daughter and the other Champions would forever haunt him, yet he knew that the Hylian Princess hadn't sat back as her Kingdom burned; she saved their Hero and fought for longer and harder than ever before.

And as the Princess stood before him today, he held nothing but respect for her and the Champion behind her.

Ganon killed his daughter; not them. And now they fought for his daughter's legacy, and for that he would always be indebted to them.

"And the Zora shall be at your side, Princess," the Zora King concluded. "Divine Beast Vah Ruta, cleansed thanks to the teamwork of my son and your appointed Knight, is a shining beacon which represents the union between Hyrule and the Zora folk." _He does not know of Ruta's failing functionings…_ He then nodded to Link, "Your efforts will be in the history of our people for many generations to come, Hero."

The Princess smiled, "We asked for our Hero and we received him. We couldn't have asked for anything better."

Link bowed his head, taken over by the Princess's words. Pride for her and embarrassment at her bold claim swelled within him, warmth flooding into his cheeks without warning.

Upon clearing his throat, the Hylian woman turned her attention back to King Dorephan. "I assume that you shall claim the throne for yourself, Princess?"

"I will."

"And who will you choose to be seated beside you, Your Grace?"

The question threw her for a moment, although she briskly recovered, "I am not certain yet, Your Majesty. I have been focused on my Kingdom rather than a consort."

She could hear the Zora Council muttering their disapproval behind her; what sort of Princess wouldn't have a consort prepared?

However, much to her surprise and relief, King Dorephan was quick to raise a silencing hand, his voice booming, "I believe the Princess of Hyrule has been wise in her decision. I simply had to ask and I will hear none of your rebuttal."

She nodded firmly, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Nonetheless," said Dorephan after a brief pause, "I implore you to consider a consort for the future; Hyrule needs strength now more than ever." An old voice in her mind chastised herself for not even thinking about Hyrule's consort, though she was quick to ignore it; she had more pressing issues, after all. "Now I dismiss you all. I wish to speak with the Princess of Hyrule alone."

Her eyes found those of her companion's as they all ushered themselves out promptly, sorely missing his presence already and confused at how quickly he left without looking at anyone. _I shall inquire later_ , she resolved. _Now I must do this alone._

Once all had exited, King Dorephan leaned forward on his throne slightly, "Now, Princess of Hyrule, I wish to ask you something private."

She smiled sadly, nodding numbly, "I am happy to tell you all you wish to know about her."

A hush descended between the two, and then she began to well up.

"She truly was a remarkable woman, Your Grace…"

* * *

The sun was quickly beginning to set over Zora's Domain, casting its warm rays between the crags behind them. A mist swept through the valley as night began to fall, dropping the temperature rather quickly. Whilst a pale blue still lingered in the sky, a soft orange was quick to begin its claim over the sky for the evening. It was a daily display of elegance that Prince Sidon always loved. Even though the breeze was cool against his scales, there was a strange serenity to Zora's Domain in the evening that made the temperature drop much more bearable.

King Dorephan had asked for his son, the Council, and the remaining Zora to leave the chamber whilst he and Zelda discussed a private matter. Sidon assumed this matter was that of Mipha, who was the main connection between the Princess and the Zora King; the one person that always seemed to keep everyone together. Sidon smiled at the thought as he made his way down the curved steps, glad that something good was finally coming to his homeland.

The Zora Prince was about to follow the Councilmen down into the main plaza to eat, however his attention latched onto the Hylian Champion standing on the balcony overlooking Mipha's statue, their arms resting on the edge as they gazed down. Sidon was quick to excuse himself from the other Zora and made his way onto the large balcony, gazing out with them.

The luminous stone used to decorate most of the Domain was becoming even brighter with the sun's descent, casting beautiful soft hues across the stone and marble as the light faded. "The Domain is truly beautiful," Link murmured.

"You're right about that," the Zora replied, then, "If you would like, I can show you and the Princess around?"

The Hylian smiled, "I would like that, Sidon, but not tonight—I'm rather tired."

The Prince smiled, only to frown when he noticed the slight tremor in his friend's hands. He was, as Councilor Muzu once put it, "quivering like a hatchling." The only other time Sidon had seen him in such a way was when he remembered his sister Mipha; partially breaking through his amnesia. Clearing his throat, the Prince remarked, "Did you… did you remember something, Link?"

Both sets of eyes fell onto his shaking hands, and the Champion was quick to lower them to his sides with a breathless laugh, "Was it that obvious?" The Zora said nothing, merely smiling and allowing his friend to carry on. "It must have been when I gave Mipha's Trident back to the Princess… I remember giving it back to Mipha one summer whilst she was training with it. She hadn't had it for long, but she was quick to master the basics. Though when a horde of monsters tried to attack the Domain, she twisted her ankle in the fight." A small smile graced his lips, "I had to piggyback her back here… she laughed all the way."

Sidon grinned, "Of course she would… I don't think I ever saw my sister sad." He sighed and rested his fins onto the balcony, "I just hope that I can live as she did and make everyone proud."

The Knight blinked, "But you helped to free Vah Ruta, you've fought monsters, you've been an incredible friend… of course you have made everyone proud."

"I thank you for the kind words, Link, truly. But few of those feats were done on my own." Sidon nodded towards Divine Beast Vah Ruta, which stood tall atop its perch in the far distance; trunk still poised in the air elegantly after playing its part in the attack on Calamity Ganon a year ago. "And there stands her legacy…" the Zora murmured, then, "I don't think I'll ever be able to do anything that my sister did. She was and still is my role model, Link… but I could never be anything like her."

Link thought on what Prince Sidon had thought before commenting, "You helped me to save Hyrule, and Mipha did the same. They may have been different circumstances, but you both did something incredible."

Sidon only frowned, "But I didn't necessarily help you that day… Mipha had excellent spear skills and healing skills. I just got you to where you needed to be."

The Champion regarded the Zora with a frown, surprised at the high expectations he held himself at. Link understood why, of course, but it saddened him to think that such a bright and optimistic person could be so hard on themselves. In reality, Prince Sidon was a good fighter and leader; he just needed to believe that he was strong like his sister, just in a different way because of the circumstances.

If he was older, he would have been the Zora Champion one hundred years ago.

The thought stopped Link for a moment.

He and the Hylian Princess had agreed to try and appoint new Champions of Hyrule in order to recreate the ties Rhoam had made between each of the races before the Great Calamity. And the fact that they had partially come to the Domain for that reason, Link glanced up to Sidon. In terms of the Zora, there was no one else that Link could think of who could be a better Champion. He was strong, smart, capable of being a leader, and clearly took after his sister.

He blinked once and saw Mipha holding out her baby brother to the Hylian, the Zora tiny but just as energetic.

He blinked again, and he was back in the present; a migraine forming.

Although Link thought that his companion should be there, he knew that he would only plant the seed now.

"What if you became a Champion like her?" he blurted, causing the Zora to snap his haze down to him with wide eyes. "I-I mean, Vah Ruta has lost some functionality now that Mipha is no longer controlling it, and it needs someone to look after it in the coming years."

Sidon blinked a few times, "But we aren't fighting anymore…?"

"I know, but it doesn't mean that Ruta should stand alone and fall into disuse. All I'm saying is," Link added, "Is that we all believe in you, Sidon, just as you always believed in me and everyone else… and if you truly want to be like Mipha; maybe it isn't as hard as you think."

They descended into a deep silence before the Prince spoke again.

"You once said that Mipha gave you her healing abilities… is that true?" Link nodded silently. Sidon avoided the Hylian's gaze before saying, "Would you be able to teach me? I should know the healing arts as a Zora, but it's… I want something to remember her by…"

The Prince was quick to wipe away the tears that began to fall, eyes widening when a hand was placed on his arm.

"Of course I will, Sidon."

He smiled, then cast his gaze back to Vah Ruta. He could have sworn that he felt his sister's spirit nearby as he whispered, "Thank you, Link. You truly are incredible!"

He simply smiled; despite everything, Sidon's positivity never changed.

A sudden wave of fatigue came over the Champion, and as much as he tried to hide it, his Zora companion was quick to notice. Lightly clapping the Hylian's back, Sidon nodded down to the square, "Go and rest, Link. A Champion needs his rest, and your Princess is safe with us." The Hero went to politely decline, though the Prince was quick to chuckle, "Put your pride aside, Mr. Hero. You may even remember more while you sleep!"

He sighed, then, "Alright… just please send someone to fetch me once the Princess has finished."

Sidon smiled, though it quickly turned into a frown once Link descended the steps and disappeared for sight. Returning his eyes to the silhouette of Vah Ruta, he sighed deeply, "He's remembering more and more of you, dear sister. You must be proud!" He paused, then, "Well, I suppose I have much to consider..."

* * *

"Ah, there you are, Princess!"

Zelda turned away from the decayed monument as Prince Sidon's booming voice reached her. After her rather emotional meeting with King Dorephan about Mipha, the Princess had made her way down to the area beneath the Throne Room to collect her thoughts. She was still rather raw and tearful from the meeting with King Dorephan, though was quick to compose herself as a familiar voice reached her ears.

Turning slowly, she smiled and bowed to the tall Zora.

"Ah, Prince Sidon. I hope that we haven't kept you waiting all this time."

"Of course not, Princess!" he grinned as he made his way to her side, inspecting the monument she was looking at, "Were you trying to read the scriptures?"

She hummed, "Yes, though time has taken its toll on it. I can barely read the story…"

"Thankfully I know the story off by heart," Sidon said, causing Zelda's eyes to widen with awe and a silent question. He chuckled, "It prophesies of a Hero named Link striking down the infamous Lynel which makes it home atop Shatterback Point on Ploymous Mountain." Sidon grinned knowingly at the Hylian Princess, pearly sharp teeth glowing in the dying light, "I'm sure you can guess who this tale belongs to?"

"I believe I do," she giggled, then, "And there are more like this?"

The Prince nodded, "Yes, stories about various rulers and even the tradition of making the Zora armour for the one that the female Zora loved." Zelda's gut twisted as she was reminded of Mipha's deep affection for her companion. While she could never be jealous of the Zora—she was beautiful, kind, funny—she was always mournful of the Champions. After all, they were her companions and dearest friends who laid down their lives for her cause. It wasn't something that she could repay lightly.

Noting her silence, the Zora suddenly blurted, "I think Mipha always knew that his heart belonged to another."

She blinked a few times, snapping her gaze up to the Zora, "P-Pardon?"

"When I was younger, she told me that she was making her Zora armour for another even though she was sure he didn't care for her in that way. She still wanted to try, and I admired her," he said without looking at her, then, "But she knew, and so did I once I grew older and met your Hero without his memories. He spoke about you as if he didn't know you, of course, but with such a certainly to protect you that I knew, even without his memories, that his heart was yours. I can see it in your eyes as you look at each other—you are his rock and he is your rock."

Her lips parted, "I-I apologise, Sidon… you are correct in your assumptions, however we do not mean to act improperly; especially here of all places. The last thing we would wish to do is offend."

There was a pregnant pause.

Then the Zora burst out laughing.

Heat rose into the Princess's cheeks as she tried to stay calm, jumping when Sidon's hand curled over her shoulders. "Princess, you could never offend! Even if Mipha stood here now, I'm sure she would just be happy to see the two most burdened people find happiness—I know I sure do! I think it's wonderful that something good has finally come out of this once horrid situation, don't you think?"

"I…"

Then came something that she truly wasn't expecting.

Sidon knelt down before her and took her hands into his, "What happened to my dear sister was a tragedy that was not your doing despite what the Council have illusioned themselves into believing. I, Prince Sidon and the rest of the Zora, and overjoyed that you have returned and have found joy. We will be at your side as Hyrule is built and beyond."

"Thank you, Prince Sidon," she breathed in true awe.

"But you also came here for another reason, did you not?" he added after a brief pause. "Now that each of the Divine Beasts has been safely returned to us from Ganon's grasp, your Knight mentioned that Vah Ruta has fallen into some disrepair. Does this mean that you will be visiting each of the Divine Beasts to fix them and appoint them with new pilots?"

"I… well we had discussed as such prior to our arrival, yes," Zelda murmured, "But we cannot force such a role onto any of the races so soon after Calamity Ganon's defeat. The people must mourn, and I doubt many would be happy to send their people back into the machines that were corrupted and killed their ancestors…"

Sidon passed her a soft smile, "Then allow me to ease your weariness, Princess. I would be absolutely honoured to serve as Vah Ruta's pilot. As one who helped to save her, and Mipha's younger brother, it would only be logical that I would be the next pilot. We are at peace, so there would be no reason to fight unless it was a last resort, and it would only strengthen our bond." He paused, then, "Please, Your Grace, allow me to be appointed the next pilot of Divine Beast Vah Ruta."

Zelda was too flabbergasted to speak, so much so that her mouth was agape for far too long. By the time she recovered, she was quick to stammer, "P-Please rise, Prince Sidon. You need not kneel before me; especially not whilst I stand in your Domain!" He chuckled as he stood. The Hylian paused before breathing, "And if it is your desire, Sidon, then I cannot stop you. After all, Vah Ruta belongs to your people, not I."

"Oh thank you, Princess!" Sidon cried, leaping forwards and wrapping his strong arms around her. "You truly are our path to the future and a dear friend! Thank you ever so much!"

She allowed herself to shove formalities aside and gleefully return the embrace.

They were still smiling as they pulled away. "You are very welcome," Zelda said, "Now, I do believe that a trip to Divine Beast Vah Ruta is in order before we depart. Shall we venture out tomorrow morning?"

Sidon was quick to nod, "That would be most splendid, Princess!"

She smiled, "Please, just Zelda will do."

"As you wish, Zelda! Why shouldn't we use such a beautiful name?"

She barely had time to blush before a young female Zora made their way towards them, a timid smile etched onto her features, "Um, Master Link is in the square for you…"

"Thank you, Lulu. You are dismissed." After a small bow she was gone, leaving them alone once more. Sidon clasped his hands together loudly, "Well we shouldn't keep our Hero waiting, should we? Hopefully I can get him to relay his epic fight against the Lynel to you!"

Holding his arm out to her, Zelda rested her hands on his scales and made her way down towards the square with the Zora Prince at her side. A deep wave of relief flooded through her system; she had been accepted by the Zora and potentially had another pilot for Vah Ruta beside her. Of all the things that could have passed, the Hylian Princess praised Hylia that she walked this path.

One race at her side; only three more to go.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Oh geez that was so rushed and horrible! I'm really not proud of this chapter but hopefully you don't hate it! Not much happened, did it? Aha well it'll be better with the next one I hope! And for the main few reasons why this took so long; other than general writer's block, **I turned 18 last Friday and I also was accepted to my first choice university to study French!** I'm moving in less than a month so I have lots to do! But I will try my best to keep writing for you guys!

Hope you liked this one; the next one is mostly done so it'll be out much sooner! :3

Also if you guys want to check out my story " _United We Stand, Divided We Fall_ ," then please do! Shameless plug, mainly because it's huge and I worked super hard on it. It's a longshot going through all the events 100 years ago between Calamity Ganon's return and when Zelda begins her fight against him so go and have a look if you're interested! :3

~RandomButLoved~


	11. From the Ground Up

_**Author's Note:**_ I'm really glad that it wasn't too much of a wait this time, so I hope that you guys will enjoy both the lack of waiting and the chapter itself! I had already written a lot of this a while back though I'm glad that I didn't put this chapter earlier in the story; it all lines up here thankfully. Either way please enjoy!

 _ **Guest Reviews:**_ **Fan789:** It's not a problem! I'm glad I explained it alright aha. And I would love to do a crossover where Link remembered something from United We Stand, Divided We Fall; that's an amazing idea! And oh wow I'm so honoured to know that; enjoy writing it! I went to Gerudo Town first, though I did like the Rito segment of the game. Like I say, it just lined up better but Rito Town will be coming soon! :3

 _ **Beyond**_

 _Eleven: From the Ground Up_

~O~

It was the Princess's wish to rebuild Hyrule Castle and Castle Town which brought them to the Akkala region. Link had mentioned the existence of a small town of carpenters within the Province, though Link promised that they would finally see them now after the journey to Lurelin. According to the Hero, these carpenters would be able to kickstart the rebuilding of the ruins within weeks, something which gave Zelda some hope for the future.

There was a cold breeze that swept across the land as Link emerged from the South Akkala Stable, tugging the collar of his cloak further up his face for protection from the harsh wind. Autumn was quickly arriving in the Akkala Province—a normally warm province for being situated near Death Mountain—meaning that it wouldn't be long before their travels around the Kingdom would be reduced.

Minding a small girl as she chased dragonflies, the Hero made his way to the main cooking pot, spotting a familiar figure as they prepared breakfast. Taking the seat opposite his charge, he was quick to note how fatigued his companion looked. "Have you been awake all night?"

She merely chuckled, passing him a tired smile, "Just a couple of hours…" She could feel the playful glare he was giving her as she stirred the stew, though he added nothing. Basking in the morning light, the Princess leaned back onto her hands and remarked, "So, how good are these carpenters?"

"I'd say they're rather good," he said. "They were the ones who fixed up the house in Hateno, and they built a small town not far from here."

"Town?" Zelda's eyes lit up. "Can we…?"

He smiled, then, "It was already planned."

She grinned and clasped her hands together before remarking, "Then what are we waiting for?"

"I thought you wanted to visit the Citadel too?"

"I…" They both chuckled at her excitement before falling into a brief silence. "It is beautiful here," she remarked after a moment. "A place that lives in perpetual autumn… a place filled with flora opposite to evergreens."

"Everbrowns?"

She smiled, barely holding back her laughter, "I suppose so. Nonetheless, this truly is a sight to marvel. Before the Great Calamity—when we were making our way to the Spring of Power—I never really took much notice of its beauty. But now… now I can see Hyrule for, well, the first time."

The Hero took her hand into both of his, "I feel the same. We'll do so together."

Her smile merely grew as she clasped her hands together, "Breakfast?"

She couldn't help but laugh as his face lit up at the prospect of food.

Link and Zelda exited the stable through the southern entrance after eating, making their way towards the Akkala Citadel Ruins which loomed high above them. It was supposedly the last defence against Calamity Ganon, and once the Citadel fell, Ganon's victory was sealed. From afar it was visually stunning, the main shell of the fortress still standing after 100 long years, however nature had began to make its claim over the abandoned Citadel, various orange pigmented trees vining their way around the grand building.

Neither of them wanted to imagine how much suffering and loss occurred here during the Great Calamity.

Veering away from the main path before the Akkala Span, Link guided his charge towards the Bridge Ruins, slowing his mare into a halt at its edge. The bridge had been completely demolished during the attack—most likely to prevent the escape of the Hylians—and, after all this time, decayed Guardians were still littered across the ruined bridge.

Leaning over the edge, Zelda studied the remaining foundations of the bridge as well as the Parade Ground Ruins, memories suddenly flooding back to her. She had rarely visited the Citadel, normally accompanying her father when he went to survey Hyrule's defences or attend meetings within its confinements, although she had happy memories of running up the various staircases and surveying the entirety of Hyrule from the battlements.

And now it stood, void and empty of any life whatsoever.

Link only had memories of visiting the Akkala Citadel in this Era, working his way past the Guardian Skywatchers as he worked his way towards the Akkala Tower. And yet, much like when he and Zelda explored the ruins of Hyrule Castle, he could feel the presences of his past comrades, some merely adding to his anxiety by being there, others whispering out for him to join them.

Nell, a traveller the Knight had met on his journey, had visited the Citadel various times to find where his companions had fallen; those who had failed in trying to take the fortress back from the Guardians. His words suddenly echoed through Link's mind, _"When you look at these massive structures and ruined cities… you really get a sense of what we lost."_

He only got a second chance at living because he was the Hylian Champion.

They didn't.

That was a debt that he could never repay until the day he died.

The two Hylians cantered around the edge of the bridge, leaving their horses behind to graze as they made their way up the colossal structure. Zelda's nervousness grew as they passed a decayed Guardian with a rusty claymore wedged into it, a deep sorrow for the past bubbling in the pit of her gut. She reached out for her companion for support, finding deep comfort when his hand found hers.

They all put up a good fight, for that she was certain.

And yet, before they could say anything about the devastating sight, a voice cried out, " _Hoy~_ " Link and Zelda winced at the shrill sound, spotting the source of the voice as a familiar figure, followed by a few others, rushed down the steps of the Citadel and fell into a kneel before them.

"B-Bolson?!" Zelda stammered. "Weren't you—?"

"Ah, it's the Princess!" he cried with joy. "It's wonderful to see you again! I was sure that you'd only remember me for my singing! Heh…" Her silent response was palpable. Clearing his throat, he added, "Have you come all this way to see me? What an honour!"

The Hero sighed, "Actually we have." Zelda blinked at him, perplexed. "You're the carpenters I wanted to formally introduce you to, Your Grace." Her mood soured a little at the use of her title, although she was quick to understand why; he was in public.

She detested how quick he slipped out of himself and reverted back to his former, stoic self, though she tried to convince herself that it was necessary.

"Oh well I feel like I already know you, Princess!" Bolson gushed, "But if you are in need of our construction services then I would be more than happy to assist! Why don't we discuss contracts on the Citadel? You can see our work on it for yourself then!"

Zelda stammered out her agreement and pressed for him to rise, ignoring the ghost of a smile on her partner's face as he passed and claimed the head carpenter's attention for her. Gesturing up the steps, they continued on as one.

"So," Link said, "What work have you been doing here?"

Bolson chuckled, "Well now that the evil is gone from Hyrule, the Citadel was finally opened up again. And since Tarrey Town is complete and the Princess has graced us with her presence, especially right under my nose may I add," he added, winking at Zelda. She could never forget the man's foul singing even if she tried to. "We decided to set ourselves up onto another project!"

"Well, we may have another project for you, Bolson." The Hero glanced back to his charge with a soft smile. "Don't we?"

"O-Oh, of course!" Zelda stuttered, a sudden wave of anxiety coming over her as she thought about what she was going to ask this man, one that she barely knew, to do. A fear of rejection, a fear of the future, and a fear of everything that could go wrong flooded into her core. She was never one to back down, but before she could realise it she had added, "But we can discuss that later… I would very much like to see your work first, Bolson."

She averted her eyes away from Link's questioning look.

The air grew colder and colder as they climbed the large stairway, the true extent as to how far the Guardians got sending chills down their spines; the soldiers never stood as chance. Passing my a slightly less damaged area—trees separated by stone grates instead of fighting their way to claim the area—it wasn't much longer before the Hero and the Princess finally reached the top.

Now that the Pools of Malice had been cleansed from the summit of the Citadel, the reality of the damage was clearer than day. The outer walls had been nearly completely obliterated, revealing the dishevelled crimson carpets. The main entrance and windows, once sealed with thick metal bars, had been bashed through during the attack; leaving behind destruction in its wake.

Although the Hylians had easy access into the structure, it nonetheless hurt them to witness such a sight.

However Bolson and his crew had done a lot to preserve the structure. Scaffolding surrounded the structure, keeping it sturdy and standing despite the beating it had taken. And despite the crumbling walls, it was clear that the work Bolson and his crew had done (and still were doing) was slowly but surely restoring the Citadel to its former glory.

The idea made the Princess's eyes burn at the edges with unshed tears.

"Please look around," Bolson remarked, "We haven't done much but…"

"You have done incredibly well," the Princess breathed. "Thank you for all of your efforts, Bolson."

Zelda made the first move, clambering through the original main entrance into a small study, collecting discarded tomes and notes from the ground in case any would be of use to them. Her Knight came in quickly after her, making sure that the structure was sound as he warded off his hectic thoughts.

Link made his way around what was left of the Citadel, no sound created other than that of his movement and the cool breath of the wind on his neck. Lighting each of the torches with his fire arrows, the Hero soon spotted a hole in the wall; just big enough for him to creep through. Checking over his shoulder that his Princess was safe, he made his way into the tiny room, nothing in there but a few broken barrels and a shattered bed.

Yet as he subconsciously made his way over to the bed and allowed his hand to brush across its frame, a frail voice entered his mind, _"Are we going to be alright, Mother?"_

 _"Of course, sweetheart,"_ another voice invaded his consciousness, fear lacing her quaking tone.

There was a crash.

Then a scream.

Then Zelda appeared in the other entrance to the room, "I was wondering where you…" She trailed off when she saw him on one knee; complexion worn and mournful. Crossing the gap between them, the Princess knelt down and reached out for his shoulder, "Link…?"

He flinched at her touch, glancing over his shoulder to her, "Zelda…?" She asked again what was wrong, and his response was just above a whisper. "I can hear them; those who perished here. All these faces and voices that I can barely remember… I can still feel them here… and they still hate us."

The Princess turned her companion towards her, a mournful smile etched onto her face, "Oh Link…"

"I must have been here before I was appointed as your Knight. I probably met all of these people, helped to protect their families… and now all I can feel is their regrets and mounring. They want us to join them because we lived…"

"No, Link," she murmured in response, "They are reaching out for us not because they want us to join them, but because we have the power to let their deeds carry on. They died for this kingdom to live, and they wish for us to carry that on to the best of our abilities…"

"You can feel that?"

"I can," she assured, "We cannot do anything for them here. All that we can do for them is rebuild Hyrule; and the Citadel will be a part of that, alright?" He said nothing in response. "Come on," she murmured with a smile, helping him onto his feet. "I think we should see this town you've mentioned to me. We can ease the regrets of the dead by helping the living… and I'd like you to hold that in your heart."

As they made their way back down towards their mounts with Bolson staying to work on the Citadel, the two leaned into one another; relying solely one another through their pain.

It was up to them to rebuild Hyrule for the living, but also as a reminder of the innocents who perished and had not moved on for the past one hundred years.

As they had both found, their responsibility to the dead was almost as heavy as their responsibility to the living.

* * *

The Hero of Hyrule lead the way as they rode through the Akkala Parade Ground Ruins and across South Lake Akkala. Contrary to the majority of Hyrule, the main attraction to the Akkala Province was the wide array of flora. Every tree within the province was adorned with either bright yellow, wine red, or sunset orange leaves all year round, casting a heavenly glow across the landscape.

Zelda's eyes scanned the horizon, Akkala Tower and Death Mountain shining brightly through the fog. The Akkala Falls rose up in the distance, roaring water casting a thick layer of mist over the Sokkala Bridges. Passing over the triplet of bridges, Link and Zelda cantered beneath a thick canopy of trees along a faded path until their destination finally came into view.

Compared to the major towns in Hyrule, this one was by far the most quaint. Lanterns glowed in the distance, casting long shadows across the grass. Golden trees surrounded the edge of the town, the constructed homes made up of various painted blocks. As the sun began to set before them, the entire town seemed to brightened more than usual somehow.

Zelda finally made the connections, "Is this the town, Link?"

He glanced back over his shoulder with a small smile, "This is the town."

A man rested against the main entrance and clambered to his feet as the two arrived, "Evening, Link!" he called as they slowed down, "Haven't seen you in a while! Have you got any more ingredients for me?"

"Of course I have," he replied simply, "Let me get us settled in and I'll get you the ones you asked for."

Moments after they left the man's side, Zelda tugged on Rhoam-Lien's reins a few feet into the town, awed by the sheer beauty of the town. The houses were built rather differently than the ones that she was used to, although they didn't take away from the rest of the town. In the center stood a small Goddess Statue surrounded by numerous small fountains, any droplets that splashed onto the wood glittering in the sunlight.

There were six homes in total, all apparently occupied by different races and businesses. This is what she wanted out of a settlement; all of the races mingling together without conflict or fear. This was far from the prestigious Hyrule Castle Town, and one day, she hoped that Castle Town would be the same.

Noticing her expression, her Knight stopped beside her. "That was Stamm, a travelling chef," he explained to her, then chuckled, "And he never lets you forget it…"

"He seems like the type," she whispered, a smile gracing her features.

A smirk tugged at his lips as he gestured towards an elderly couple, "There's Moggs and his wife, Monari—she makes a mean mushroom skewer." The Princess laughed as he drew her attention to the stalls on the other side of the town, "We have all of the main races here too. There's Fyson, who wanted to have a shop of his own. Over there is Greyson and Pelison; they wanted a new place to live, so they came here…"

"And who are they?" Zelda wondered, pointing towards an older man and a Gerudo vai.

"Oh, and that's Hudson over here; he's the one who built this town. That's his wife, Rhondson, who sells voe clothing to outsiders." He paused, "Welcome to Tarrey Town."

People near instantly noticed their arrival, recognising the Hero but not his companion. The Princess hung back as the residents came to greet them, smiling as she realised how peaceful he was here and how much this place must have taken the world from his shoulders; even if only for a little bit.

One small girl cut through the entire crowd to reach the Hero, catching everyone's attention. "Hey Link! You're back!"

He grinned and picked her up, plopping her atop Sauvage, "Hello, Hunnie! Have you been eating what your parents have been feeding you?"

The child giggled, "Of course! After that cake, I've eaten everything!"

Link smiled, "Everything?"

"She has," another voice stepped in, a slender woman making their way towards them; a small basket of clothes tucked under her arm. "Welcome back, Link. We haven't seen you in a while…" Turning to Zelda, the lady extended a hand to her, "We bid you a warm welcome to our humble town, Princess. I'm Ruli, Hunnie's mother."

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," she stammered once all eyes turned on her; how could a Princess lose her confidence before a small group of people? Clearing her throat, she shook the woman's hand.

From her perch, Hunnie remarked, "You sound funny."

"Don't be so rude, Hunnie!" Ruli snapped, then returned her gaze to the Princess, "You and Link are welcome here for as long as you'd like. This lad here made this wonderful town for us all, and we've heard nothing but wonderful things about you from that young lad."

Zelda glanced over to Link, "You said that Hudson made this town."

He shrugged, "I helped get the supplies and the people here—he built it."

Even after 100 years, he was just as humble.

"We heard that you and your friend want to build Hyrule," Hunnie remarked suddenly, slightly too loudly. In effect, she caught the attention of others situated nearby.

Glancing back to his charge, Link scratched the back of his neck before replying, "We are, Hunnie. We…have lost a lot, so we'd like to help everyone get back up on their feet now that everything has settled down."

"Then why do you look so sad?"

The Princess forced a smile, "Because it's going to be hard to make everyone happy, Hunnie. But as long as we all work together, then we won't be sad anymore." The little girl was confused, though the rest understood perfectly.

After a moment, Link guided his charge off to the side and nodded to one of the buildings, "If you want to settle down in the inn, I'll get Stamm his ingredients and then I can introduce you to everyone?"

"That would be most splendid, Link."

As she made her way towards the tiny inn, she was glad to see that the heartache he had felt back at the Citadel had lessened so now that he was in Tarrey Town. He was perfectly valid to feel the weight of his responsibility, although it hurt Zelda to see him so burdened by what he had to do. While Zelda had grown up knowing that she would always be burned by duties, her Hero had his destiny thrust upon him and it would never leave him.

She hoped that she would make him happy one day, or at least lessen his burden in any way that she could. After all, hadn't he done the same for her?

But there was one thing that she could easily conclude as she stepped into the inn, Tarrey Town showed how hopeful their future could be.

* * *

Night had descended onto Tarrey Town, and with it an even cooler breeze. Stars winked down onto the quaint town, surrounding the moon in an elegant glow. The Princess of Hyrule sat on the small terrace atop the inn, one of the blankets draped over the seat now around her shoulders as she buried herself in its warmth. The sound of the trees swaying in the wind alongside the fragrance of flowers in the pot beside her was enough to partially ease the fears that brought her outside; though not enough.

They had spent almost a week in Tarrey Town now, merely enjoying the simple life that had been built on the island. The people were happy enough, thankful for living in a brand new place full of completely different senses to what they were used to. It gave Zelda the hope that one day she could look down on Castle Town the way she did on Tarrey Town now; satisfied and happy with the peace that had been founded so quickly.

When Link and Zelda were not by one another's side, the former was constantly helping Bolson at the Citadel or praying to the Goddess Statue in the middle of town. Plagued by his need to ease the spirits who had perished there, the Princess had often watched her Hero from afar as he lay down candles before the statue and prayed for forgiveness; for it wasn't his fault that he was resurrected, it was merely the will of the Goddesses.

And, as the days passed by, the strain on his body and soul seemed to lift; and with it his spirits.

Despite this, nightmares had plagued Zelda's sleeping life. Her Father, despite his bittersweet words to her at the Spring of Courage, constantly reprimanded her for wasting her time in little towns. The people did not matter at the moment, he would say to her, only unifying the races and establishing her rule. She was not acting as a Princess would, behaving in a friendly manner towards her appointed Knight, spending over a year in hiding, and only now having unified the Zora behind her.

And, to make it worse, she still had not asked Bolson—who had not yet returned to Tarrey Town—if he would help to rebuild Castle Town.

 _"Nothing but failure…"_

Those words still stung.

Resting her forearms onto the table, she sighed into the night; her breath fogging up in her face. "I am trying my hardest, Father… but Hyrule cannot be rebuilt in a day…"

"Your Highness?" She nearly jumped out of her skin when the door creaked shut behind her, and she spun around to spot the only Zora resident in Tarrey Town; an old Zora with wine coloured scaled who went by the name of Kapson. He had apparently been a priest in his younger life and married off the man who founded the town. He now ran the inn, and was overjoyed to see the Princess arrive.

"Kapson," she breathed with a laugh, briskly straightening herself, "You gave me quite the fright there. Did I wake you?"

"My apologies, Your Highness," Kapson smiled, then, "And no, for I was already awake. I thought that you may require company, but if that isn't necessary then…" He was quickly cut off by Zelda's silencing hand and soft smile. As he took a seat opposite her, he remarked, "Could you not sleep?"

"I'm afraid not, dear Kapson. All the things that I must do to rebuild Hyrule has caught up on me recently. I have many thoughts keeping me up at night."

The Zora tilted his head, "Would you like a rupee for your thoughts?"

She chuckled and, after a pregnant pause, finally relented, "I came here to see Bolson and his carpenters. With their skill and expertise, they will be rather useful in helping to restore previous Hyrulean landmarks to their former glory. They have done an incredible job so far with the Citadel…" She sighed deeply, avoiding Kapson's kind eyes. "I wish for Castle Town to be rebuilt."

"That sounds like an admirable plan, Your Highness," he said. "It will show that Central Hyrule will no longer be a symbol of fear and deterrence, and will hopefully attract many to live there once more. If anything, Castle Town could become the next Tarrey Town!" She hummed, and Kapson quickly noted how her mood soured at his last remark. "What do you fear, Your Highness?"

She was silent for a long time. What did she fear? The question spun in her mind over and over again, but no answer came to mind. If anything, too many answers came to mind; fear of failure, fear of unworthiness of the throne, fear of losing her people to another threat, fear of the Yiga, fear of Link never truly remembering everything, fear of love, fear of the future.

 _The better question is what_ don't _I fear?_ Zelda thought darkly.

"The people are overjoyed that the threat of Calamity Ganon and the Guardians are gone, and also that their Princess has returned to them," Kapson clarified. "Is that what you are afraid of?"

"Partially," she said, only to find the words tumbling out without thought. "I believe that coming to this wonderful town has reignited an old fear. Tarrey Town has many races living together—something that I had always wanted to see before the Great Calamity, you see—and yet it also shows how content many are with living as they are…"

The Zora blinked, "As they are, Your Highness?"

"After Calamity Ganon decimated Hyrule, the people were lost. It took a lot of time, though the people managed to find their own path again, and with it a semblance of peace," she explained, staring down at the pattern of the skin on her hands, "They must be happy that there are no more monsters terrorising them, of course, but how would they feel if their Princess suddenly reappeared and began to rebuild a Kingdom that most of them never knew? Do they even want Hyrule back after they have made their own foundations?"

Kapson fell silent for a while before exhaling deeply. "I understand your view, Your Highness, however I think that you only see the front that the Hyruleans put on."

She blinked, perplexed.

"Ever since the Calamity, you were right to say that we as a Kingdom were lost. And while we may have found some form of path to rebuild upon once more, Hyruleans have put on a front for the past one hundred years." Zelda finally met the Zora's eyes. "They act how your appointed Knight does; we have a stiff upper lip and refuse to show when we are in pain unless it is absolutely necessary."

Unfortunately, the Princess knew exactly how her partner acted; and it sent fear into her gut at the thought of her subjects doing the same.

"So what do you propose that I do? If I try to show how much my people are hurting, then they may hate me more than ever…"

Kapson chuckled, "Far from it, Your Highness. But what I mean is that the Hyruleans have made their own foundations, yes, but it doesn't mean that they are sturdy foundations. We are striving for a common ground that is no longer fear of the next sunrise. We are desperate for a symbol, and you are that symbol, Your Highness. And with you and Hyrule Castle rebuilt with Castle Town also back to its previous grandeur, then we shall finally have firm foundations to build up from."

She thought on his words for a while, tugging the blanket closer to her as a cold wind hit her side. Glancing onto the small town, a tiny smile creased her features as she considered what Kapson said about how her work could and would make the foundations that her subjects needed to build up from.

"From the ground up…"

He smiled, "Aye, our town mantra. It fits this rather well, doesn't it, Your Highness?"

Rising to her feet, Zelda sat beside the Zora and clasped his hands tightly. "It is perfect, Kapson. I am indebted to you for your inspiring words. You have shown me true hope."

The door behind them creaked again without warning, though neither of them paid mind to it. "You are welcome, Princess, although it is I who am indebted to you for giving this Kingdom the light it so deserves. Now," he added after a moment, "You should rest, Your Highness. You have a long road ahead of you."

She smiled and nodded firmly, thanking the Zora one more time before retreating to bed.

She had never slept so peacefully as she did that night.

* * *

Zelda woke to a cacophony of noise in the morning, so much so that she couldn't even hear the tweeting of the birds outside or even the children playing outside. After her peaceful sleep, she was far from relaxed as she stormed out of the inn and into the main square outside.

And yet, what she was greeted with was far from what she expected.

Everyone who lived in Tarrey Town had apparently risen early—including Link, to her surprise, for he was far from a light sleeper—and were gathering planks of wood and various supplies through the main part of town; apparently preparing something outside of town that she did not know about. Whatever it was, Zelda knew that it was an incredibly big project.

"Sav'aaq!" Rhodson called over to her with a pearly white grin, only carrying light objects due to the bump on her stomach.

"S-Sav'aaq!" Zelda stuttered back, receiving a smile from the Gerudo as her husband called her away. Not only was everyone acting casual around her, something that had never happened one hundred years ago, but it seemed as if the people of Tarrey Town suddenly had their own project to attend to rather than enjoying another simple day.

She was stunned even as her Hero came over to greet her.

"What is all of this?!" she demanded; her tone sterner than what she had intended it to be.

Link only smiled, scratching the back of his neck, "The people of Tarrey Town are helping Bolson and his crew gather all of their building materials. Sorry for waking you."

"I can see that, but why are they doing it? You aren't being very quiet about it."

He clasped his hands behind his back, smiling sadly, "I had a nightmare about the people of the Citadel last night and heard you and Kapson talking. I didn't want to eavesdrop, but I caught what he was saying about rebuilding Castle Town. That's why we had come here, so I thought that we would heed his advice and start."

She blinked, "So you asked Bolson to do all of this without my consent?"

His heart seemed to hit the ground; he had only wanted to help, especially since he hadn't noticed her upset whilst he was dealing with what he had seen and heard at the Citadel, even more so with the memories that it had brought back in the process. "I-I… I mean…"

Zelda's hearty laugh cut him off, and in a second she was in his arms; head buried into his shoulder. "I'm just teasing, Link. Thank you… thank you ever so much. I don't think that I could have done any of this on my own."

"I'm sure you could have," he murmured as he stroked her hair.

The Princess worked her way out of the embrace. "I couldn't have, Link. Thank you for staying at my side, and I hope that rebuilding of Hyrule will help to put the spirits of the deceased and you at peace." He smiled, then tugged her into another hug; thanking her back over and over again as they blocked out the sounds of construction preparations around them.

From the other side of town, Hunnie smiled—those two loved each other as much as she loved cake.

They would rebuild Hyrule from the ground up; for the living and for the dead.

All they had to do now was start.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ I honestly think I kind of lay on the angst a bit thick in this one and didn't focus on the members of Tarrey Town as much, but I'd love to see what you think of this one. Also let me know if there are any mistakes etc.! I've sat all day to try and fix this up and get everything sorted so I hope that you all liked it. Let me know, and in the next one we'll be off to Goron City—a chapter I've been really excited for since the start! Have a good day/night!

~RandomButLoved~


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